The Trouble With Diplomacy
by TheGuineapig3
Summary: Deep under the streets of Seyruun, Zelgadis and Amelia embark on an excavation journey led by a mysterious, eccentric professor. They hope to find a way to cure Zelgadis' chimerism and learn more about Seyruun's history, but unfortunately for them, these ancient ruins also hold secrets that were hidden for a specific reason, and disovering these secrets may come at a price... Z/A
1. Constructing a Plan

(I'm going to state the obvious that this is the beginning of another story! Yeah! It's perfectly understandable standalone, but, for those who've read 'All That Glitters,' I thought I needed to write a story about what happened between Zelgadis and Amelia, and the identity of the mysterious person who sent Zelgadis searching for that gemstone that caused them all those problems. So… here is 'The Trouble with Diplomacy.' Enjoy it, and remember, I'm just a fan writing some fiction! I'm not genius enough to own any of the Slayers characters or locales… *sigh*)

* * *

**1- Constructing a Plan**

It was a dark night, and it was not the kind of night that a person would want to be in a dark alley in the slums of a big city. A short, dark-clad figure was huddled in a corner in a particular alleyway, on the lookout for something- or someone.

A group of men, talking and laughing began to walk down the alley, and almost didn't notice the diminutive figure watching from the shadows. However, the sound of a person clearing their throat made the men stop and turn around to look at the person who was vying for their attention.

A small voice came from the hooded figure, and the men could make out a pair of large glasses under the hood of the dark cloak.

"Um... hi... I'm sorry, none of you look like the man I was asked to meet here... please, carry on." A pair of silver eyes glinted apologetically behind the lenses.

The men were not deterred. "Hey! Guys!" one of them laughed. "It's a little boy! What'cha doing here in the gutter, kid?!"

The man attempted to make himself look taller. "I-I'm not a kid! I am a grown man, and a reputed professor of Black Magic studies! I am here on the request of a client!"

The men laughed at the young professor, elbowing each other playfully. "Oy- this guy's a regular schoolboy, ain't he?! How cute! What d'ya say we hit him up for his lunch money?"

"I told you, I'm a Black Magic professor!" he protested weakly, shying away from the group. "Besides... you wouldn't hit a man with glasses, would you?"

The thugs sent a glance around to each other, and laughed. "You're absolutely right!" one chuckled. "Where are our manners?! Of course we wouldn't hit a guy with glasses!" He reached out and plucked the spectacles off the young man's face, tossing them to the ground with the sound of breaking glass.

"Heeeey~! I need those to see!" the professor whined, fumbling blindly forward in an attempt to grab the fallen glasses.

"And you need this to talk!" another man laughed, throwing a punch squarely into the professor's jaw. He reeled back, clutching his chin painfully.

Suddenly, there was a blur of motion, and all four of the men were struck down to the ground, clutching trivial wounds in surprise at the sudden attack that they hadn't expected.

"_Sleeping_!" a voice called out, and all the thugs slumped the rest of the way to the ground, unconscious. The professor looked up in concern, only able to see a blur of a figure cloaked in beige. The figure picked up something from the ground, and made a motion towards the professor.

"I take it from your black robes that you're the man I'm supposed to meet."

Reaching out, the young professor fingered the shattered remains of his spectacles. "A-and I take it that you're the one who wanted to meet me?" he stammered nervously.

"Precisely. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Professor. You are the famed Professor Nisery, scholar of Black Magic techniques, aren't you?"

Professor Nisery chuckled nervously. "It seems that my reputation precedes me. But what of you? You didn't include a name in your letter, only initials."

"I want to be sure that you have the information I'm looking for."

"But why in the world did you pick such a dangerous location for a meeting place?! I've never been in the slums before! I got lost coming here, had to ask for directions from questionable sources, tripped and fell over every little box and piece of garbage- and then those thugs were about to murder me!"

"Well, I wanted to be inconspicuous. I don't like big, populated areas." the man scoffed. "Besides, you're a professor of Black Magic. I would have thought that you'd have the capacity to defend yourself."

The professor looked solemnly forward. "Sir, while I study the art of Black Magic, my ability to practice it is limited."

"Oh." There was an audible pause. "Well then, follow me. Let's talk somewhere where we won't be attacked, then. Name a place, and I'll take you there. How well can you see?"

"Blurry shapes." the professor replied. "I can see enough not to bump into walls, but I can't read a thing, so I wouldn't have any idea where I was going. For all I know, I could be walking into some unsavoury establishment. I have no idea what's around here anyway…" He seemed to tremble with nervousness as he spoke.

The man across from him grabbed his hand. "Fine, then. I'll take you to a decent tavern where we can get a drink and discuss things."

"I don't drink, sir."

The man turned to him. "You don't drink water? Juice? Tea or coffee?"

"Oh. _That_ kind of drink. I do enjoy a good cup of coffee now and again, now that you mention it."

The man led the professor silently down the alleyways of the city. After a few minutes, the professor began to talk, still sounding nervous.

"Um, sir... where are we going?"

"Someplace that's not shady. If you're not skilled with magic, and can't see well, then you're not the kind of person I want around dangerous places."

"That's awfully nice of you to be so concerned." The man didn't respond, so Professor Nisery continued awkwardly. "You're not really the most common specimen yourself, you know. Is that... brau demon, I sense?"

The man stopped in his tracks, and turned to the professor. "What else do you sense?" he breathed.

"Um... well... human, mostly... But there's a third thing that I can't put my finger on... it's like... like..."

"Golem."

"Exactly!" the professor nodded. "No wonder your hands are so cold!"

The man seemed to chuckle, seeing that the professor meant him no ill will, just simply observing his surroundings.

"Since you now know me better than a lot of people, how about we get introductions out of the way? I'm Zelgadis Greywords." Zelgadis already had a grip on the professor's hand, so he waited and let Professor Nisery be the one to begin shaking his hand.

"Nice to meet you, Mister Greywords. I'm Alexandre Nisery. You can call me 'Pestis,' though. Please do."

Zelgadis seemed surprised. "Pestis?"

"It's my nickname- one that my friend came up with. I've rather grown to like it."

"I see..." Zelgadis murmured, silently wondering how anyone could ever grow to like a name like that. "And you don't have to be so formal either. Just 'Zelgadis' will suffice."

Pestis blinked in surprise. "Oh... well then... Zelgadis." he nodded. "Shouldn't we be on our way? I'd like to spend as little time in this gutter as possible."

"Of course." Zelgadis nodded. "But, should we first stop by an eyeglass repair shop and do something about your spectacles?"

Pestis smiled weakly. "Yes, please."

* * *

After dropping off the broken glasses at a repair shop, Zelgadis and Pestis found a nice, small restaurant in which to sit down and discuss their agreement.

"So... you said that you had some information that you thought I'd be able to help out with?" Pestis asked.

"Right." Zelgadis nodded, taking a sip of his coffee, watching curiously as Pestis blindly attempted to add sugar and cream to his. "Need some help there?"

"Thank you." Pestis sighed sheepishly. "I really ought to invest in getting another pair of glasses. I guess I just have never needed a spare- the last time I broke them was..." he paused. "Well, now, I can't even remember."

"At least you take good care of them." Zelgadis replied, pouring cream and sugar into the professor's cup. "Excuse me for seeming presumptuous, but how in the world can a man research Black Magic without being able to practice it for himself? It doesn't seem practical not to be able to conduct field work on your hypotheses. I have a good friend who does some research on her own- and Lina _always _tests her theories with her spells."

Pestis looked up surprisedly. "Lina? As in Lina Inverse, the Pink Sorceress?"

Zelgadis spat out his coffee. "Lina Inverse, the WHAT?!"

"The Pink Sorceress." Pestis responded, looking unfazed. "You mean to tell me that you're not familiar with her Sorcerers' Guild title? That's funny."

"Lina has a Sorcerers' Guild title?" Zelgadis asked. "Huh, funny indeed."

"She's quite reputable among Black Magicians. Her techniques are above everything anyone else has ever attempted. Why, she's downright famous."

"Infamous, more like it." Zelgadis sneered. "But back to you."

"Ah. Myself." Pestis nodded. "In fact, I get a lot of my information by studying the root of Black Magic itself."

Zelgadis gasped. "Y-you mean..."

"Mazoku? Of course." Pestis sipped his coffee, and seemed more interested in the way it scalded his tongue, as though a burnt tongue was a much greater danger than studying Mazoku for a livelihood.

"Isn't that a dangerous profession?"

"Not necessarily." Pestis replied. "My dear friend that I mentioned earlier is quite powerful- powerful enough that he is thought of highly among the Mazoku race. With his help, I am allowed to study the behaviour and culture of Mazoku, so long as I do not interfere with their missions. I never interfere with their missions. If I did, can you imagine the trouble I'd be in?"

Zelgadis had a feeling he knew, and nodded slightly. The professor completely baffled him. How could a young man who made the inquisition of Mazoku his profession possibly be so afraid of a few hoodlums in a dark alley? He wondered if Pestis had made some sort of pact with the Mazoku race. After all, Zelgadis' sharp eyes told him that the man in front of him appeared as though he could only be in his late teens. Yet, this couldn't be true, as becoming a professor, and a reputable one at that, took years and years of schooling. Perhaps this man was an incredible child prodigy… after all, he didn't seem to be someone that had altered his appearance through magic or some other means.

"Pestis... your friend that you mentioned before... is he a Mazoku?"

Pestis chuckled. "Well, of course he is. What did you think? You thought he wouldn't be? As if a human alone could gain such a reputation among Mazoku! You're so silly, Zelgadis!"

Zelgadis shrugged, feeling odd being scolded by someone who looked to be younger than he was. "I-I just... never mind! Back to our discussion of the information I seek."

"The information regarding chimeras? Ah, yes." Pestis nodded, taking a cautious sip of his coffee to make sure it was not as hot.

"Where is it?" Zelgadis demanded impatiently.

"Well, you seek information from a rather broad category, Zelgadis." Pestis replied. "I can only lead you to what I believe to be the place which would contain the most information on the subject that you seek."

"And where is that?" Zelgadis asked.

"There are some ruins, that are the remains of the subterranean libraries of a great Black Magic institution that was destroyed during the War of the Monster's Fall. I can't say for certain, but I think that it might have the information that you're looking for."

"A Black Magic institution?"

"Yes. Before the war of the Monsters' Fall, magic wasn't as widespread as it is today, but was clustered into small locations containing all of the knowledge that humans had at the time of the particular kind of magic that they studied. These Black Magicians were the experts in their field, and constructed an extremely sophisticated underground storage facility to house their work. The overground structures were all demolished during the war, but it's likely that the library is still intact."

"You don't say." Zelgadis sipped his coffee, trying to contain his excitement. "Where was this located? Where can one gain access to the ruins?"

"Well, I don't think the ruins have ever been excavated, as very few humans know of the institution. Ironically, it was located in the very centre of what is now known as the White Magic city."

Zelgadis drew in a breath. "Seyruun."

"Exactly. The layout of the city helps to hide any sort of indicator that Black Magical items are still stored deep underground. Since no one can sense it, no one has ever really been curious enough to excavate."

Zelgadis paused again, not sure what to say. "Pestis... changing the subject, if you'd allow me, I'd like to know of the services that you requested in payment for your help."

"My payment?" Pestis looked surprised. "Oh, you shouldn't trouble yourself over it. A friend of mine simply wants me to gain possession of a particular gemstone, and I was hoping that you could aid me in locating it. But don't worry over it now. I refuse to request payment until my services have been given in full. My friend said that it was the proper thing to do, and he has always drilled into me the importance of responsibility and integrity."

Zelgadis nodded. "I see. This friend of yours... where is he, exactly?"

Pestis paused. "He is in prison."

There was a long, awkward silence.

"He's never been very good at practicing what he preaches." Pestis finally added with a chuckle, trying to dispel the awkwardness. "But don't worry so much about him! He'll get out sooner or later. He's hoping for parole sometime soon, but that's still being negotiated."

"What is he in prison for?" Zelgadis questioned. "If you don't mind me asking."

Pestis shook his head. "You don't want to know."

"Oh, but I do."

"_No_, you don't."

"…"

Zelgadis sighed in resignation. "But I _do _want to know about the gemstone you're looking for. I don't want to be given services without knowing what I'll be paying for them. You can allow me that, can't you?"

"Oh, of course! I was only going to ask you if you could help me search for the gemstone- it's a particularly large one, and... there are more complicated characteristics, but trust me, I won't ask you to go out and search the whole world if you have trouble finding it. I just want to know what you know. But not before I tell you what I know. Agreed?"

Zelgadis sighed. "Agreed. Now where can one gain access to these ruins that you mentioned? Somewhere in Seyruun?"

"Well... yes... but..."

"But what?"

"Well, when I received your request, I did some further research on the ruins and found the piece of land on which the entrance would likely be. It's not in the city proper, rather, a short distance outside of it. The only problem is... that tract of land is owned by the Seyruun royal family. So, in other words, unless you have a connection that would allow us to work in secret, we would have to get a charter from the royal family in order to be allowed to excavate."

Zelgadis thought it over. "Well..." he began. "I do have a connection, in fact, but it will only be useful in getting us the charter." He chuckled to himself. "She wouldn't exactly be very happy with us working in secret."

"Well... so long as you can get us into the ruins, I'm up for it." Pestis nodded. "I've been curious to see just what remains of the great institution of Black Magic that was destroyed so long ago. I think it will be quite a profitable venture!"

"With Amelia's help... this sounds promising."

* * *

"Oh, oh, oh- I'm so excited! I haven't been to Seyruun in what feels like ages! I love it so much- ah, but it's not a good place for Black Magic studies, being the White Magic capital, and all… but it's still such a lovely place…" Professor Nisery was exuberant as he and Zelgadis walked the streets of Seyruun city on their way to the palace.

"Don't make such a commotion. People might mistake you for a child." Zelgadis scolded, following after the young man. Quite honestly, the professor did resemble a child- a teenager, rather, but it was startling to see just how small he really was. Pestis had traded his black robes in favour of an outfit that actually did make him look like a schoolboy, complete with a crooked green bowtie. The man had attempted to straighten it all morning, but he hadn't had any success. Zelgadis felt like a babysitter looking after an unruly child, with Pestis running all over the place as he was. It made the chimera almost reconsider consulting with him about the ruins in Seyruun, but the more he got to know the young professor, the more apparent the man's intelligence became. Zelgadis had never met someone so book-smart in his life.

Unfortunately, there was a fine line between book-smarts and street-smarts, and Pestis' experience seemed to fall on the former end of the spectrum.

"Zelgadis, are we just going to walk up to the palace and ask for entrance?" Pestis questioned, ignoring the chimera's scoldings.

"Well, I don't see any other way to do it." Zelgadis replied. "They know me, though. If I can get the message across that Zelgadis Greywords has come for a visit, I doubt they'll deny us entrance… at least, if Amelia has anything to say about it."

Pestis' eyebrows raised with a grin."Ooh, is the princess sweet on you, or something?"

Zelgadis shook his head, averting his gaze. "No, no. Of course not. We're just old friends."

"Oh." Pestis looked disappointed. "That's too bad. I was hoping I could take back a beautiful love story to tell my friend. He does enjoy a good love story- we're both what he calls 'hopeless romantics."

Zelgadis rolled his eyes. "Then you'll fit right in with Amelia." he sighed.

* * *

Inside the walls of the palace, Amelia was hard at work, cleaning the various statues of the deities that filled the temple. It was the job of the priestesses to keep the temple clean, and while it wasn't exactly one of the most fun aspects of the job, it was more interesting than her princess duties. Amelia would certainly rather clean the dust from inside the folds of Cepheid's wings than sit all day over papers discussing diplomatic issues and monetary policy.

She was just about to finish up and start on a statue of Ragradia, when she heard the sound of her father's booming voice echoing through the large chamber.

"Amelia! My goodness, you've been working hard!"

She smiled and wiped her forehead with the dust rag. "I'm only doing my duty, as per usual. It's quite fun getting up on top of the statues. You can see the whole temple from up here."She perched on Cepheid's head, looking down on her father below.

"I was just coming to ask if you'll join Clawfell, and me for lunch. We've been doing paperwork all morning and would appreciate your company to lighten the mood a little."

Amelia smiled brightly. "Oh, I'd love to, Daddy! Just let me finish up here. I'm almost done."

Phil nodded. "Don't worry. Take your time. I would never rush you on such an important job."

Amelia nodded, and continued working until she was sure that she had eradicated every speck of dust on the effigy of the dragon-deity. Satisfied with her work, she leaped down from the dragon's back, landing only slightly off-balance. Phil gave her a thumbs-up.

"You've been working on your landings, I see."

Amelia laughed. "Oh, you noticed? Thank you! A Warrior of Justice can't land on her face every time she descends, now can she?"

"Prince Philionel~! Princess Amelia~!"

Their conversation was cut short by a palace guard's voice calling from outside the temple.

"There are visitors here for the princess!"

Father and daughter exchanged a glance. "Visitors for me?" Amelia whispered. "I wasn't expecting anyone. Do you think it might be Miss Lina and Mister Gourry?"

"I should hope not." Phil whispered."Part of the city still hasn't recovered from the giant monster that attacked the city the last time they were here. They always seem to lure dangerous things with them wherever they go."

The guard had entered the room now, and was approaching the prince and his daughter. "Visitors for Princess Amelia." he breathed. "Two young men."

That got Phil's attention. "Young men? How young?"

The guard shifted his weight contemplatively. "Well, the brown-haired one with the glasses doesn't look a day over 17… and the other one…" he straightened up. "Oh, that's right! Zelgadis Greywords! That's the name I was supposed to give you!"

Amelia broke into a smile, and Phil sighed in relief at hearing a familiar name.

"Oh, Mister Zelgadis! Of course!"she cried happily. "He didn't tell me he was coming to visit! What a pleasant surprise! I wonder who the friend he brought is…"

Phil shrugged. "A relative, maybe? A cousin or something?"

"We'll find out soon enough." Amelia replied. "Oh, Daddy! Do you think Mister Clawfell would mind if we invited Mister Zelgadis and his friend to lunch with us?"

"I doubt he would." Phil grinned, tousling Amelia's hair playfully. "Your friends are our friends." He paused for a moment. "And… friends of your friends are also our friends… I think."

Amelia beamed. "Oh, thank you! I'll go greet them right away!"

"Clawfell and I will be in the tearoom on the third floor. You can bring Zelgadis and his companion up, and we'll have our introductions over lunch."

"I will!" Amelia yelled, already running off to greet her friend.

* * *

Amelia chattered away as she led Zelgadis and Pestis up the stairs of the palace's main building. She had greeted him with a rather violent hug, and gave Pestis a hearty handshake before gesturing for them to follow her to the tearoom where her father and his aide were waiting for them. Zelgadis decided to leave the introduction of Pestis until they got settled down. He merely gave the professor's nickname, and said that he'd fully introduce himself soon. Amelia seemed to take a liking to "Mister Pestis" right away, which pleased Zelgadis. He didn't want them being suspicious before they found out about the man's reputation as a professor. It wasn't exactly the best thing to be doing, dragging a stranger into your friend's house, after all.

"Wow, she's really cute." Pestis commented quietly to Zelgadis as they walked. Zelgadis gave him a sceptical look, and he added with a wink "Oh, but don't worry. I won't steal her. She's all yours."

Zelgadis sighed, rolling his eyes again. Pestis reminded him of Amelia in his persistent mention of the topic of love. Perhaps he was better suited for the princess than a heartless chimera. But Zelgadis decided against that idea quickly. Pestis wasn't Amelia's type either. He didn't fit the "hero" old in any way, shape, or form.

Amelia led them to the room where Phil and Clawfell were waiting for them, sitting at a table and talking amongst themselves. Amelia welcomed her friends into the room with a flourish.

"Mister Zelgadis, Mister Pestis, this is my father, Prince Philionel, and his closest aide, Lord Clawfell." she gestured. "Daddy, you know Mister Zelgadis. And this is Mister Pestis."

Pestis stiffened, and his face turned a shade of red that reminded Zelgadis of Lina's hair. The man was obviously not used to being in the presence of royalty.

"N-n-nice to meet you." Pestis stammered, straightening his bowtie and bowing awkwardly. "Professor Alexandre Nisery, scholar of Black Magic, at your service. P-Please, call me 'Pestis."

Amelia spun around on her heels. "Wait, did you say Professor Alexandre Nisery?! _The_ presiding expert when it comes to all things Black Magic and Mazoku?!"

Pestis' face turned a shade redder, if that was at all possible. Amelia ran up to him and clasped his hands.

"Why didn't you tell me who you were sooner?! Oh, I simply loved reading your three-part treatise on the various effects of positive emotions on the astral structure and power levels of Mazoku! It's a delightful piece of work!"

Zelgadis blinked. "Three parts? On the effects of positive emotions on Mazoku? It weakens them, doesn't it?"

Pestis and Amelia both shook their heads at the same time. "Oh, it does much more than that!" Amelia exclaimed.

Pestis cleared his throat, trying not to sound awkward. "There are a range of different effects of positive emotions on beings that feed on miasma. There are effects regarding their astral structure itself, along with various parts of their magic and their physical projections. Depending on the particular positive emotion, it can have a broad range of effects. It's very interesting, actually."

"It just goes to show the power of Justice!" Amelia added, her eyes sparkling.

"Justice, happiness, nostalgia, adoration…" Pestis agreed. He turned his attention to Zelgadis, elbowing him lightly. "…love…"

"You're going to have to stop doing that." Zelgadis growled under his breath.

"Won't you three come and sit down? We have a lovely lunch here, and it should be more than enough for all of you!"Phil exclaimed.

"Th-thank you." Pestis replied, bowing again. "I appreciate your hospitality, your highness."

"Oh please, dispense with the formalities, Mister Alexandre. Just call me 'Phil." the prince laughed jovially.

"Alright, then… Phil." Pestis murmured, still somewhat uneasy. "And I do like to go by 'Pestis,' if you would call me that."

"Take a seat then, Mister Pestis."Amelia smiled. "And you can just call me 'Amelia.' Mister Zelgadis does."

"Would you like some tea or coffee, Amelia? Mister Zelgadis? Professor?" Clawfell asked from across the table.

"Tea would be lovely, thank you." Amelia smiled back at the old man. "Mister Zelgadis, would you like some?"

"I suppose so…" Zelgadis nodded. "Thanks."

"Mister Pestis?"

"Ah… coffee would be nice if you have it…" he stammered. "Do you have cream and sugar?"

Phil chuckled. "A boy after my own heart! Yes, we have plenty of it!"

Zelgadis took a deep breath, while they were beginning to gather the tea and coffee, and began to speak, realising that he'd have everyone's attention.

"As much of a pleasure it is to see you all again…" he started. "…this is not merely a social visit. Professor Nisery and I have come here for a very important reason, and, therefore… we'd like to ask a favour of you."

* * *

(A/N: Clawfell is from the novels, and I'm fascinated with him for some reason, so I included him in this one little part. There's a nameless, one-line character who appears with Phil at the very beginning of episode 1 of Evolution-R, that I _think _might be Clawfell, but I don't know… so… first chapter. Yeah. Aren't I just fantastic at stating the obvious? Hah…)


	2. A Rocky Start

(What's that? You're trying to make puns with the chapter titles now, GP3? No. Stop. Just don't. Don't do it. Don't. …and, of course, I don't own Slayers. Just a fan… writing some fiction… with bad puns…)

* * *

**2- A Rocky Start**

Amelia looked up at them in surprise. "A favour?"

Zelgadis gave a nod, realising that he'd gotten Phil and Clawfell's attention as well. "It is of historical importance to the city of Seyruun, and…" his voice trailed off. "Perhaps Pestis could explain it better."

Pestis seemed a bit shocked that the conversation had suddenly been tossed to him. He stiffened, and attempted to straighten his bowtie again, before speaking.

"Well, you see… there are the remains of a subterranean structure beneath the city, of a pre-Koma war time period. This region was once actually a gathering place for scholars of Black Magic, and they built a complex here. However, though the aboveground levels were destroyed 1000 years ago during the war, we believe that the underground libraries may still be whole, and as such, may still hold a cache of information on various subjects of this nature. Zelgadis and I have come to Seyruun in hopes of getting permission to excavate said ruins, as the most logical entrance to them is currently located on a tract of land owned by the Seyruun royal family."

A look of intrigue crossed Clawfell's wrinkled features, and Phil crossed his fingers in contemplation. "A Black Magic complex, you say? Don't you think it would be somewhat odd for a country built around White Magic to undertake a venture of this nature?"

"On the contrary," Pestis offered. "it would actually be a good idea, I think. It would display an intellectual diversity, and show the open-mindedness that Seyruun is famous for. Politically speaking, it might be respectable for Seyruun, a country built upon the principles of White Magic, to embrace the region's Black Magic heritage. It would dispel some of the talk I've heard from critics of the Seyruun government, saying that their sole acknowledgement of White Magic is discriminatory."Pestis paused to breathe for a moment. "Personally, I've always disliked critics of Seyruun. It has always been a favourite locale of mine, due to the kindness of the people. When I first visited, everyone was so wonderful and welcoming, that I couldn't help but fall in love with the place. I would love to do anything I could to boost the standing of Seyruun among other countries."

Zelgadis was amazed. Not only was Pestis thinking politically, which surprised him, but the man also knew how to sweet-talk an audience. After hearing something like that, how in the world could Phil possibly refuse their request? The chimera had to admit, Pestis had a rather fierce intellect hiding under his unthreatening exterior.

Phil's eyes sparkled warmly. "Why…my dear Pestis… that is one of the most touching things I have heard coming from someone so politically-minded. I appreciate your kind words, and agree that there is wisdom in what you say." The prince stood up, placing his hands down on the table firmly. "In this case, I vote in favour of allowing the excavation to take place!"

Pestis smiled brightly, and even Zelgadis cracked a smile himself. This had been easier than he'd thought it was going to be. "Phil, thank you-" he began, but was cut off.

"_However_," Phil's voice boomed, and Zelgadis became anxious for a moment. What was the requirement that Phil was throwing in? "I feel that it would be of the best benefit to us if an expert on Seyruun's White Magic heritage accompanied you in the excavation, in order to conduct research on this complex's involvement in the history of the area."

"An expert?" Pestis asked.

"Well, of course. We wouldn't want any amateurs out there, after all."

"But who?" Zelgadis asked.

"Who else but our temple's own high priestess?" Phil chuckled. "Amelia, of course!"

"Oh, Daddy! That sounds so exciting! I'd love to help!" Amelia chimed happily.

"A-Amelia…?" Zelgadis stammered. "B-but-"

"Perfect! Sounds wonderful!" Pestis interrupted. "I look so forward to working with you, Princess Amelia!"

"Pestis!" Zelgadis whispered. "Are you sure about this?"

The professor just smiled back with a mischievous glint in his eyes. He gave Zelgadis a wink and a thumbs-up, gesturing toward Amelia. Thankfully, Zelgadis was the only one who noticed it.

He groaned, and hoped that lunch would be served as soon as possible.

* * *

"Zelgadis, wasn't dinner great?!" Pestis smiled brightly as he trailed the chimera down the hall.

Zelgadis turned to the professor. "Why are you still following me? I'm going to get some sleep before we go to do a preliminary examination of the site, tomorrow. I'm not planning on staying up talking until midnight or anything."

"Oh, of course I won't keep you up until midnight! I just wanted to talk! Phil and Clawfell were so nice! They even showed us around the library and told us all about the geology of the region so that we would be well informed of the logistics of the excavation and the possible dangers we might face. Aren't you excited to get into those ruins? I certainly am!"

Zelgadis sighed. The professor had been following him around all day like a lost puppy, jabbering on about this and that. When Pestis was working, or when he was around people he didn't know well, he was quiet and reserved. But when talking to Zelgadis, he suddenly gained an outgoing and quirky personality. The chimera figured that it was due to the fact that they'd been travelling together for several days, and had gotten to know each other a bit better. They weren't total strangers anymore, and so Pestis felt as though he could talk on and on to his new comrade. Zelgadis wasn't sure whether to be flattered or annoyed.

His logic told him to settle for the former.

"I suppose I'm excited. What I'm really excited to see is whether the information I'm seeking is there." Zelgadis replied as he came to the door of the room that Amelia had told him he could stay in. It was just above the library, on the second floor. Pestis' room was just a short distance down the hallway.

"I hope it will be." Pestis said with a wistful sigh. He followed Zelgadis into the room as he opened the door. "Your chimerism- is it a curse that was put on you?"

"In a way." Zelgadis replied sombrely. "It's a long story, and I don't particularly like to talk about it."

Pestis nodded slightly. "I can see how it would be inconvenient, but… I suppose it's like my friend always used to say- 'six on one side and a half-dozen on the other."

Zelgadis blinked. "What?"

"It means 'to each his own." Pestis explained. "After all, it's really the person that counts, and not what he curse makes them appear to be. Isn't that right?"

Zelgadis chuckled. "You know, that sounds exactly like something Amelia would say."

"Really?" Pestis inquired. He paused for a moment and stared off into space. "She seems to really like you. Have you noticed?"

Zelgadis frowned at his companion. "Of course I've noticed. I just ignored it."

"Whyyyy~?" Pestis' expression became starry-eyed. "Did you simply take it to be too good to be true, and deny yourself the foolishness in believing it?"

Zelgadis shot a glare at him. "No. I ignored it because I thought it would be bothersome to acknowledge it."

"Why~?" Pestis whined once again. "You two would make such a great couple!"

Zelgadis just shook his head. "It's too complicated. If you like Amelia so much, why don't you go after her yourself? She seems to like you."

Pestis' reaction was not the one Zelgadis would have expected. Instead of getting upset or flustered, he simply murmured morosely "Impossible. As nice a person as Amelia is, she and I would never be right for each other."

Zelgadis was intrigued. "How so?"

Pestis paused for a moment. "Well, first of all, I'm too old for her."

"Too old? You?!" Zelgadis shook his head. "Amelia's 19, you know."

"Really? She's that old?" Pestis blinked for a moment, and continued. "It doesn't make any difference, though. I'm still out of her age range."

Zelgadis raised an eyebrow. "Really? How old are you?"

Pestis smiled. "How old do you think I am?"

"I don't know."

"Guess."

Zelgadis sighed. "Well, I would have thought you might be around 18, but I guess you're older than that."

Pestis nodded, and Zelgadis continued. "20?"

"Older."

"21?"

"Larger increments, Zelgadis. We'd be here all night otherwise."

"26?"

"Older."

"29?"

"Keep going."

Zelgadis continued almost fearfully. "30...?"

"You're getting warmer, but still not there yet."

"35?!"

Pestis shook his head and sighed. "Should I just tell you how old I am?"

"Please." Zelgadis sighed.

Pestis leaned in and whispered with a serious expression on his face.

"I'm actually almost 200."

Zelgadis' mouth fell open for a moment, staring in total shock. He managed to stammer out a short response.

"R-really?"

Pestis' serious expression gave way to hysterical laughter.

"_No_! Of course not! That was a _lie_!" Pestis exclaimed, gasping for breath between fits of laughter.

"Hey, you looked awfully serious." Zelgadis defended angrily.

"And you totally fell for it!" Pestis chuckled, his laughter subsiding. "You're funny, Zelgadis."

Zelgadis sighed, not sure what he was supposed to do with this professor. "You're pretty hysterical yourself." he replied, not even sure whether he was being serious or sarcastic. He paused, and looked at Pestis with new eyes, now that he knew just how old the man really was- or, at least, somewhat. There was a new dimension to him that Zelgadis hadn't noticed before, and the tinge of silver in his pale brown hair suddenly seemed to make sense now. "I guess it's just... I thought you were younger, because you seem like the type who would have wanted to get married and settle down."

This seemed to subdue Pestis' energy, and he sat down beside Zelgadis. "I did, actually."

This surprised Zelgadis. "Really?"

"Yeah." Pestis nodded.

"You didn't tell me that you were married."

"Well, you didn't ask."

Zelgadis sighed. "Sorry about the misunderstanding. I guess I just got the impression that you were on your own, travelling around and doing research."

"I am. I was married... but... that was a while ago..."

There was sadness in the professor's voice. Zelgadis knew he was treading on dangerous ground, but he had to ask.

"What happened?"

Pestis took a deep breath. "She died." he stated plainly.

Zelgadis felt the blood drain from his face. "Your wife, you mean?"

Pestis nodded.

"I-I'm so sorry... I didn't know..."

"Of course you didn't know. I didn't tell you. I don't talk about it much." Pestis shrugged.

Zelgadis suddenly wondered if Pestis' association with Mazoku had something to do with his wife's death. It was a terrible question for Pestis to have to answer, but Zelgadis' curiosity got the better of him and he asked anyway.

"Was she murdered?"

"No." Pestis shook his head. "She died very peacefully."

"Illness?"

"Something like that; yes."

"I see."

There was a long silence, and neither of them spoke. Zelgadis avoided eye contact with the professor for a moment, before turning back to him, offering the only condolence he could think of.

"I'm sorry."

Pestis shrugged, seeming as though he were trying to shake off the melancholy that had fallen over the two of them. "Don't worry too much about it. Dead or not, I still love her, and I'll always love her, no matter what happens. It just makes you conscious of how things work in life. Nothing lasts forever, you know."

Zelgadis nodded slowly. "I know that all too well."

Pestis put hand on Zelgadis' shoulder, offering him a small smile. "You just can't allow yourself to take the people you love for granted."

Zelgadis nodded, feeling slightly numb as he tried to make sense of the statement. Taking things you love for granted, huh...?

Pestis suddenly jumped to his feet, clapping his hands together. "And~! Speaking of granite..." He paused for a moment to chuckle at his own joke. "we have to figure out how we're going to gain access to these ruins! The rocks around Seyruun city are sedimentary- mostly limestone, which is a fairly soft rock, so we shouldn't have much trouble if we need to dig down into the ruins ourselves, in the event that a natural opening isn't present. The only thing I'm worried about is the presence of chert nodules that might interfere with this. Chert is a very hard rock, mind you, and so we'll need to figure out a way to get through that if we run across it..."

Zelgadis couldn't help but crack a smile. Even if it was through a bad joke, Pestis seemed to know how to break the tension in a conversation.

"Chert... I'm not sure I'm familiar with that particular rock. I know that limestone often contains flint nodules... is it similar to flint?"

"Oh, yes." Pestis nodded. "Chert and flint have the same chemical makeup. They're technically the same rock,-cryptocrystalline quartz- flint is just a darker colour. The distinction between them is really more art than science, though."

"Oh, I see." Zelgadis nodded. He noticed Pestis leaning closer to him, staring at him intently. "Pestis... what are you doing?"

"Well, we were talking about rocks, and... I was just thinking... what rock are you made of?"

"Wh-what rock?" Zelgadis stammered. "Who cares what rock the golem I was fused with was made of? Why does it matter?"

"I'm just curious..." Pestis grabbed Zelgadis' hand, and examined it for a long moment, murmuring things to himself such as "hmm..." and "interesting..."

"Have you reached a conclusion yet, professor?" Zelgadis murmured, sufficiently irritated.

Pestis let go of the chimera's hand and nodded slightly. "The texture, makeup, and colour all suggest shale, but I'm no rock expert, so I can't be positive."

"Colour?" Zelgadis asked. "I thought the green colour was because of the brau demon influence."

Pestis shrugged. "That's a good theory, but I'm not totally sure. It could also be due to the chemical makeup of the rock itself. Green-coloured shale does occur. The green colour is an indicator of minerals such as mica acting as a constituent to the rock- albeit a minor one, but still enough to give it that green hue."

Zelgadis nodded. "I see."

"Shale is one of the most common sedimentary rocks in the world. It wouldn't be surprising if that's what was used." Pestis paused for a moment, "Hey, you wouldn't happen to be on good enough terms with the chimera-maker who did this so that we could ask them what rock they used... would you?"

Zelgadis shot Pestis a glare. "He's dead. He was killed..._ twice_."

Pestis seemed a little surprised, but shook it off. "Oh... okay then... no matter... we'll just say shale for the time being."

Zelgadis shrugged. "Fine by me. I don't really care what I'm made of, so long as I can find a way to change myself back to normal."

"Don't worry, Zelgadis! You'll find a way eventually, I just know it!" Pestis smiled.

Zelgadis shook his head. "Let's not go into the logistics of it, okay? We shouldn't waste our energy on that, we should be thinking about these ruins we'll be digging up."

"Right! Of course!" Pestis smiled, and changed the subject to something related to their upcoming project.

The two continued talking as the night dragged on, and were extremely surprised to hear a clock striking 1:00 in the distance.

"Is it that late already?" Pestis gasped. "We've been talking for hours! I didn't even notice!"

"Me neither." Zelgadis sighed. "So much for getting plenty of sleep tonight. It's already early morning."

"I'm sorry I kept you up." Pestis apologized sheepishly.

"Oh, don't worry about me. I'm sorry that I kept you up." Zelgadis replied. "You should probably head back to your room and get what sleep you can."

"I will." Pestis nodded. "And don't worry about me either! I don't need much sleep to function! I've been known to pull several all-nighters while studying Mazoku- after all, they don't usually sleep, you know. All I need is adrenaline!" He jumped up. "Adrenaline and enthusiasm- that's enough for me!"

Zelgadis couldn't help cracking a smile. "And coffee. That always helps."

Pestis laughed as he moved toward the door. "That it does! Thanks for everything, Zelgadis. Good night."

Zelgadis waved back. "G'night."

He turned back toward the bed, suddenly feeling exhausted, not physically, but mentally. He took a look at his hand, examining it for a moment before he closed his eyes.

"Shale, huh? Interesting..."

* * *

(A/N: Well, I inserted more geology into this chapter than really was necessary, but whatever. I love rocks. …anywho, the green-shale thing is actually true- you can look it up. It's pretty neat, and some of the pictures I've seen actually does look sort of close to Zelgadis' skin color. It's kinda freaky in a neat sort of way.)


	3. Going Underground

(And… here we are again. I don't know what I'm doing with chapter titles anymore. I'm tired. Anyway! Do enjoy the story! As usual, I still don't own anything, I'm just a fan writing some fiction.)

* * *

**3- Going Underground**

Zelgadis surveyed the area, glancing back down at the map he held in his hand. The area was more rocky than he'd expected it to be, and he was unsure of where they were supposed to searching for an entrance to the ruins. Pestis had told them where the area closest to the surface would be, but he had no idea whether there would be a natural entrance, or whether they would have to actually do some digging to reach the upper chambers of the structure.

Pestis was busy with a compass and sextant, marking down precise locations for future documentation, and to compare locations given in various historic documents.

"What do you think?" Zelgadis asked, sending a glance to his companions.

"I am certain we shall be victorious! Just look at this beautiful day! The power of Justice is certainly on our side!"

Zelgadis sighed. "I wasn't talking to you, Amelia. Pestis, what do you think?"

"The first thing to do would be to make sure that there are certainly no natural entrances to the ruins. If we can find one, it'll make our work here a whole lot easier, and speed up the process by about a week, at least."

"Sounds good. Now, what are we looking for, exactly? Just a hole in the ground?" Zelgadis sighed.

"Yes, pretty much." Pestis nodded. "If we can locate a hole leading down to one of the corridors- one of any size- we will be able to get down into the ruins so much faster than having to dig our way through the limestone."

"Professor Nisery~! I have a question!" Amelia piped up.

Pestis turned in her direction and smiled, like a teacher prideful at a bright pupil. "What is it, Miss Amelia?"

"If the limestone is such a pain to dig through, how did they build the subterranean structure in the first place?"

Pestis chuckled at the question, and Amelia's face turned red. "What's so funny? It's a valid question!" she defended.

"No, I'm not laughing at you." Pestis replied. "I'm laughing because I never would have thought to ask a question like that. You're intuitive, Amelia. That's a great thing." Amelia sighed, and then smiled again as Pestis continued with her answer. "The topography of this area is known as 'Karst topography,' meaning that the limestone is full of sinkholes and caves that have been carved out by water. The people who built this building took advantage of the existing cave system and used their Black magic skills to transform it into a working library. One of the biggest problems that they faced was the extreme amount of moisture found in the caves. You see, limestone caves are usually very wet, and they couldn't build a library where there was a lot of moisture, or the books would be ruined, as they'd grow mold and mildew. Therefore, the builders created a very sophisticated drainage system and ventilation system in order to keep water from collecting, and enough air passing through to keep things dry."

Amelia's eyes were wide in awe, and even Zelgadis had to say that he was impressed. Pestis had certainly done his homework.

Of course, he did seem like the kind of guy to do homework, after all.

"That's incredible, Professor Nisery!" Amelia exclaimed. "Wow! To think that so much work would go into creating a library!"

"Well," Pestis continued as he surveyed the site some more. "they wanted to store their knowledge somewhere where it wouldn't be easily lost or destroyed. And it would seem as though they succeeded, wouldn't you say? After all, here we are over 1000 years later, digging up the information they locked away, even after the aboveground complex was destroyed. That's pretty incredible, I think."

"For sure." Zelgadis nodded. "It's older than a lot of the ruins and temples that I've been to. Most everything standing was destroyed during the war 1000 years ago, so there's not a lot older than that."

"Very true." Pestis agreed. "Which is why this particular site in Seyruun is so special."

Amelia put her hands over her heart, her eyes sparkling with pride. "And this is why I'm so happy to be a princess of this great country."

Zelgadis couldn't help but smile ever so slightly. Black Magic or not, Amelia certainly seemed proud of the heritage of the land that had become her country. Pestis had been right- no one could say that Seyruun was closed-minded now. Perhaps this would be a good thing for Amelia and the country.

But, of course, that really didn't matter, so long as he found instructions on chimeras and how to disassemble one.

Zelgadis split up from the other two as he surveyed the ground. He looked for any signs of sinkholes, or places where the network of tunnels that Pestis had described might have caved in, allowing them easy access to the ruins below. Unfortunately, there didn't seem to be any sign of cave-ins. The ground seemed just as solid as any other ground.

They could have always used magic to blast their way in, but that, of course, would be extremely dangerous. They could destroy important information in the process, and when on a quest for knowledge, every piece of information counted. Zelgadis, sighed as he stared at the monotonous sea of grass beneath his feet. They probably would end up having to dig after all, which would be time consuming. He had to admit, he wasn't looking forward to it.

Suddenly, there was a splitting scream that interrupted the peacefulness of the day. Zelgadis stiffened in reaction to it- it was a scream he'd heard many times before, and would recognize anywhere.

"Amelia!" he called, turning abruptly around and rushing through a patch of trees to where the scream had originated from.

Pestis had been closer to the location, and was already standing over a large sinkhole, so deep that the bottom was concealed in darkness.

"What happened?! Is Amelia alright?!" Zelgadis demanded fervently as he rushed to Pestis' side.

The professor opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off by a voice from within the hole, echoing as though there were a large chamber beneath the ground that Zelgadis and Pestis were standing on.

"Mister Zelgadis! I'm fine! I just landed on my ankle in a bit of an odd way. It's nothing a little recovery spell can't fix. And look! I think I found an entrance into the ruins!"

Zelgadis groaned, running his fingers through his hair in exasperation. "Leave it to Amelia to be the one to find a hole. She doesn't even have to look- they find her."

"Thank goodness she's unharmed." Pestis breathed. "It sounds like that hole is quite deep."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about Amelia taking a few spills. She falls on her face all the time- it's all because of her habit of climbing to high places and giving stupid speeches. She scares the living daylights out of all her friends." Zelgadis sighed. "Still, it's a good thing she's safe."

Zelgadis looked over and saw a smile on the professor's face. At first glance, he thought it was a smug grin, as though Pestis was going to make some sort of comment about his and Amelia's 'relationship,' but it wasn't. It was a soft, knowing smile, as though Pestis was pleased about something, but there were more layers to it, as though the happy pretence was just the outside, and there was a range of different emotions beneath.

"What's with that smile?" Zelgadis asked, perplexed. "You really happy to find an entrance to the ruins, or something?"

Pestis shook his head. "Well, I'm happy about that, but it was just..." his voice trailed off, and he made no attempt to finish his sentence.

Zelgadis blinked in confusion, but decided not to pry. They had more important things to worry about at the moment.

"Amelia, we're coming down there! Hang on a moment!" Zelgadis called.

"Okay!" Amelia's voice echoed back up through the sinkhole.

Zelgadis turned to Pestis. "Can you handle a levitation spell, or do you need a hand?"

"Oh, I can handle a levitation spell. Don't worry." Pestis said with a different smile from before. This one was kind and straightforward, with nothing on the man's face but a smile. Zelgadis nodded, satisfied as he watched Pestis descend slowly and carefully into the sinkhole below. He chanted a quick levitation spell and followed.

* * *

The underground ruins were dark and, despite Pestis' story of a drainage system, also very damp. Zelgadis' foot splashed in a puddle as he walked down the corridor, holding his lighting spell against the wall. There was some form of writing on it, but he didn't know how to read it.

"What language is this?" he asked, motioning to the wall.

"It's a language that we call 'Old Seyruun." Amelia replied. "It's a language that was spoken in this area a long time ago. It slowly developed into the dialect that is spoken here today, but the writing system is very different. I know a little, but not much of it."

"It says, 'In honour of Colfer Blackwell, the founder of the institute, and the layer of the cornerstone for the establishment. May his legacy live for generations to come." Pestis read aloud.

Zelgadis and Amelia turned to him in shock. "Wow, Professor Nisery! I never knew that you'd know a language like that!"

Pestis flushed slightly, hardly visible in the dim light. "Oh, you know. It's something that comes with experience. I am a professor, so languages are important to know."

Zelgadis nodded. "I see. So that means that you'll be able to translate any books or writing that we can't understand?"

"Of course." Pestis smiled. "I'm fluent in Old Seyruun, as well as a good deal of other ancient languages." He paused. "I'm a bit rusty on the ancient runic alphabet, though."

"That's amazing, Professor Nisery!" Amelia gushed excitedly, her eyes sparkling in the low light. "You're so incredibly intelligent! You may be even smarter than Mister Zelgadis..." she glanced at the chimera. "...which I wasn't sure was possible."

"Thanks for the compliments, but they're not necessary." Zelgadis replied, shaking his head. "I know that Pestis is much smarter than I am."

"Oh, don't be so hard on yourself!" Amelia continued, grabbing Zelgadis' arm tightly. "You're so incredibly talented, Mister Zelgadis."

Zelgadis turned his head to the side. "So I've been told..." he mumbled awkwardly. "In any case, let's continue down this hallway and see if we can get to anywhere important."

"Right!" Amelia exclaimed, dragging Zelgadis by the arm down the corridor with Pestis following behind them.

They continued down the hallway until it ended up in a large room. Zelgadis intensified his lighting spell slightly, in order to view the room better. The room was large and dome-shaped, with intricate carvings along the walls and ceiling. Shelves lined the room, full of books and files. The group looked around.

"It's damp in here. That's not a good sign. I have a feeling that the drainage system has fallen into disrepair." Pestis spoke as he sloshed through a puddle of water on the floor.

"Professor Nisery, is it always so cold down here?" Amelia questioned. "I thought the cave would be warmer than it was outside, but I've been cold since we started."

"Well..." Pestis began. "It's colder than it is outside right now, because underground caverns and structures are typically kept at a constant 50 degrees Fahrenheit, or so, year-round."

Amelia blinked. "R-really? Can't be! It feels colder!"

"It's because it's damp, and you're not exactly dressed for that." Zelgadis sighed, tossing the edge of his cloak around her. "Don't worry about it- none of us knew it'd be so wet down here."

Pestis nodded. "It's not exactly frigid, but next time we come here, you may want to dress more appropriately."

Amelia nodded silently and huddled closer to Zelgadis.

"It looks like we've found a library- or one of them, anyway." Zelgadis sighed, looking around. "Which means that this is the beginning of the real excavation."

Pestis smiled. "Thank goodness for Amelia and her hole-finding skills."

Zelgadis couldn't help but crack a smile as well. "Yeah," he murmured. "good thing..."

Pestis strolled over to the bookshelves and began pulling various books and folders out of the wall, holding up his Lighting spell in order to inspect them. Amelia was looking around at the architecture on the walls in awe. Zelgadis followed her around, just to make sure she wouldn't let go of his cloak. She probably would, if she felt like she was dragging him around against his will, and the last thing their little expedition needed was its expert of Seyruun culture to catch a cold on the first day.

"Mister Zelgadis, these carvings are awfully scary. They look like Mazoku." Amelia pointed out as they viewed the artwork on the walls.

"Not surprising." Zelgadis commented. "I mean, it was a group of Black Magicians. They did get their power from Mazoku, after all."

Amelia nodded silently, but she didn't look very comforted. She eyed the carvings with an edgy stare, as though they could have jumped out and attacked her. For all they knew, the carvings just might have done that- after all, the people who'd built this place were well-versed in all kinds of magic. But the carvings seemed inanimate enough, and Zelgadis didn't worry too much about it.

"They're probably just for show, Amelia. You know how Black magicians like to put on a good show- just look at Lina."

Amelia laughed. "Oh, I agree; Miss Lina certainly loves a good show! Unfortunately, her shows usually consist of lots of destruction."

Zelgadis gave a sagely nod of agreement. "Destruction of property and consumption of food."

"Miss Lina just likes to leave an unmistakeable mark on any place she visits." Amelia smiled.

"Oh, it's unmistakeable, alright." Zelgadis shot back. "But not in a good way."

Amelia wrung her hands nervously. "You know, we really shouldn't speak such ill of Miss Lina behind her back. It's quite rude."

"Why worry about it?" Zelgadis shrugged, trying to quell her fears. "It's not like Lina can hear us or anything."

* * *

"AAAH-CHO~!"

Meanwhile, somewhere quite far away, Lina Inverse's bowl of she-crab soup was interrupted by a large sneeze.

"You okay, Lina? You're not catching that flu that was going around that last group of bandits, are you?" Gourry asked in concern.

"No, of course not. I'm Lina Inverse- I don't get sick." she murmured in response. "I just got the strange feeling that someone, somewhere, was talking about me."

Gourry looked confused. "Who would be talking about you?" he asked. "I mean, other than bandits, or pirates, or any others of the many people you've beaten up and terrorised-"

"Eat your soup, Gourry." Lina growled, grabbing Gourry's head and shoving it into his bowl, spilling soup all over the table.

* * *

Amelia was quiet as she continued browsing the many patterned carvings on the walls. Zelgadis was not as interested, but still followed after her, observing all the designs himself. He wasn't really watching where he was going, and accidentally blundered into Amelia, who had stopped in front of a large open place on the wall.

"Amelia? What's wrong?"

"Mister Zelgadis... look at that..." she murmured.

Zelgadis stared up at the carving. "What is that?" he asked. "It looks almost like a representation of the five Mazoku lords and Shabranigdo. I've seen some stylised versions of it before, but I think this one has to be the most elaborate one I've seen."

"I think it is." Amelia replied. "There's the Demon Dragon King at the bottom left... and I think this one is Greater Beast Zelas... but..."

"There's a problem here." Zelgadis agreed. "There are only supposed to be five Mazoku lords. This picture has six."

"But why would anyone add an extra Mazoku lord when there wasn't one? That doesn't make any sense." Amelia replied. "Unless they knew something we don't..."

"Like what?" Zelgadis asked.

"We can ask Professor Nisery. He's an expert on Mazoku, isn't he?" Amelia suggested.

"Right." Zelgadis nodded. "Hey! Pestis! I know you're busy, but could you come over here for a second?"

Zelgadis' voice seemed to pull the professor out of a deep reverie, and he jumped slightly. "Huh? What? Oh, yes! Of course!"

Pestis scurried over the floor of the ruins, holding a book to his side. "I was just checking the books and such. It seems like the papers in the files have become damp, and some are unreadable, but the books haven't suffered too much damage, at least on the inside."

"That's good. That's the important part anyway." Zelgadis replied. "Are they all in Old Seyruun?"

"No." Pestis shook his head. "Some are in languages which are very similar to our modern dialect, so reading them won't be too much of a problem. Others are in other various languages, which I'll probably have to translate for you. It won't be too difficult."

"Thank goodness." Amelia sighed. "But we have a question about this wall carving."

"Wall carving...?" Pestis murmured. His gaze turned toward the wall, and his eyes widened. He took a small step back. "Well... I'll be..." he breathed.

"What is it, Professor?!" Amelia gasped.

"Oh, uh..." Pestis seemed to regain his composure. "N-nothing... it's just... uh... nothing. I've seen this somewhere before a long time ago, that's all."

"If you've seen it before, then do you know why there are six Dark Lords rather than the actual five? Why the extra?" Zelgadis asked.

"Oh, that? That's just something the artist did. It doesn't indicate anything about the time period." Pestis waved his hand dismissively. "There were five Mazoku lords at the time this was carved."

"At the time?" Amelia questioned.

"Well, there aren't five now, are there?"

Zelgadis glanced back at the carving. "Well, no. I guess not. Not with Lina around, anyway."

"So it doesn't mean anything other than this was a crazy artist?" Amelia laughed.

Pestis laughed in response. "Exactly! The artist was completely out of his mind, I can assure you of that. In fact, I think most of these artists were."

Zelgadis sighed. "Well, what now? Shouldn't we go make a report or something now that we've gotten information regarding the status of at least one of these rooms?"

"Indeed." Pestis nodded, straightening his glasses. "We should head back to the palace now, report all findings, and then create a detailed plan of action now that we know what we're dealing with. Alright?"

Both Amelia and Zelgadis nodded, and followed Pestis as he returned his book to the shelf and began walking back up the corridor where the sinkhole had been. Pestis began to speak about needing to create a better method of entrance and such, but Zelgadis was only half-listening.

"Something wrong, Mister Zelgadis?" Amelia whispered as they worked.

"Nothing, it's just... I'm concerned about this place. I get an odd feeling that there's more to it than we know."

Amelia blinked. "Well, of course. Didn't Professor Nisery say that there are more rooms of book storage around the complex? We've only stumbled across one."

"No, not that." Zelgadis shook his head, leaning back down to whisper more to Amelia. "I'm beginning to doubt that a group of extremely intelligent magicians would have built something as elaborate as this just to act as a library. Books are important, but not THAT important. I get the feeling... that there's something bigger stored here."

"But why underground?" Amelia responded.

"For the same reasons anything would be locked away." Zelgadis replied. "To keep people from harming it, or..." he paused ominously. "...to keep it from harming people."

Amelia looked worried. "Are you sure?"

"Not totally." Zelgadis shook his head. "But I've got my hunches. Be sure to stay on your guard at all times while down here."

"It's alright, Mister Zelgadis." Amelia grinned proudly. "I can take care of myself. And if worst comes to worst… well, I always have you, don't I?"

Zelgadis looked away for a moment. "Well... I'm flattered that you would trust me so much. But we can't afford to let our guard down. There's more to this place than meets the eye. I'm sure of it."

* * *

(A/N: Umm… so, for those who've read my fanfiction 'Pathos,' the 6-dark-lords thing is a nod to that; it's intended to be a representation of how much information the builders of the libraries had, rather than a clue as to what's down there- it honestly has nothing to do with that. Just… so you know.)


	4. Facet Value

Not much to say here… again! I'm still writing the story, and I still don't own anything- just a fan writing some fiction. As usual, please enjoy it. Thank you for reading!

* * *

**4- Facet Value**

"Say, Pestis? Didn't you tell me that you were going to talk about that gemstone you wanted me to find?" Zelgadis questioned. It had been a long day, as, once they returned, everyone wanted to know what they had found in the ruins, and what their plans were for continuing the excavation. They had stayed up late talking to Phil about their goals and what they planned to do, and, thankfully for them, he'd seemed pretty excited about it all. He even offered help translating documents from the Old Seyruun language, as he spoke a good deal of it himself, and would love to visit the ruins sometime. Pestis had assured him that he would certainly be welcome on their expedition if he could find the time to join them.

Now that it was late, and they had decided to get a good night's rest before beginning a full day the next morning, Zelgadis decided to ask Pestis about his gemstone request before going to sleep. It seemed like an opportune time, after all, and Zelgadis had a small hope that the information the professor was looking for would be in the ruins as well, and that they could kill two birds with one stone. It would make things a lot easier, after all.

"The gemstone?" Pestis replied, looking curiously at his friend. "Why are you bringing that up now?"

"Well, first of all, you promised to tell me about it before we got too far into this, so that I knew what I was getting myself into." he replied. "Second of all, I'm thinking that there just might be some information in the ruins about it, and I'd like to know all I can about it in order to search for that kind of information."

Pestis sighed, gripping his cup of coffee more tightly in his hands. Zelgadis wasn't sure how the stuff could possibly relax anyone, but Pestis said that it always helped him calm his nerves, and Zelgadis certainly wasn't one to judge. "Should we go sit in the library, or your room, or something? The hallway isn't the place for this kind of talk."

"Alright, fine. We can go to the library if you'd be comfortable there."

"Just so long as there isn't anyone else there. I'd rather this be a private conversation, if you don't mind." Pestis murmured softly.

"What? Why?" Zelgadis questioned.

"Because the information I'm giving you isn't information that I want just anyone knowing. This thing I'm sending you out to find is something that absolutely, positively, cannot fall into the wrong hands. You understand, don't you?"

Zelgadis blinked again, suddenly unsure of what he'd gotten himself into. "I… understand… but how can you be sure that I'm not going to misuse the gemstone instead of giving it to you? Why trust me with that sort of information?"

Pestis smiled sheepishly. "Can I just say that I trust you and leave it at that?"

"But why?"

The professor laughed, but it sounded like it was more of a nervous laugh than anything else. "You're as bad a child, you know that? We can talk more in the library."

Pestis continued down the hallway without a second word. Zelgadis wondered what exactly made the professor trust him. He'd handled powerful objects before and hadn't misused them. (Okay, so he kind of stole the Hellmaster's Jar, but he wasn't the one who let Shabranigdo out, so that couldn't have been pinned on him, right?) But Pestis had no knowledge of all that… did he? How much did the professor know about him?

The library was quiet and deserted, which seemed to calm Pestis slightly. He sat down in a chair, and motioned Zelgadis to one beside it. Zelgadis sat down, and stared at the silent professor for a moment.

"Well? I'm waiting for you to start talking."

"Oh, of course! Sorry! I really need to calm my nerves. I shouldn't have anything to worry about here." Pestis replied, shaking his head.

"Will you at least tell me why you can trust me with something you want to be so secretive? Is it something you'd trust with Amelia or Phil?"

"I'd trust it with them as well. The gemstone I'm looking for is simply something I don't want to fall into the hands of the Mazoku race." Pestis replied.

"Why? What would they do with it?"

The professor's expression clouded. "That's just the reason. I don't know what they'd do with it. They could try to destroy it, which would be positively disastrous, or they might try to harness its power, which would be equally disastrous…"

"Just what kind of power does this gem have?" Zelgadis breathed.

Pestis took a sip of his coffee. "The power to send the world spiralling into chaos and ultimately decimate the entirety of the human race." he spoke casually, as though he were talking about whether or not it might rain tomorrow.

"What?! How?!"

"I can't say." Pestis replied, setting his mug down on a table beside his chair. "What I can say for certain, is that I need to get my hands on it as soon as possible. I've been trying to find it for years, and every time I think I've come close, it just turns out to be something else. I've been through too many false leads to count, each one raising my hopes higher than the last, and then dashing them just when I think I've finally found it."

"Believe me, I know _exactly _how you feel." Zelgadis sympathised. "But don't you think perhaps the information we've uncovered in the ruins might say something about it? Or… is it not that old?"

"Oh, it's that old, and then some! This gem that I'm looking for dates back to before the War of the Gods and Monsters."

Zelgadis gripped his chair in surprise. "The War of the Gods and Monsters?! It's that old?! Then surely there must be information on it in the libraries of this complex we've uncovered-"

Pestis shook his head. "No. There probably isn't any information on that gemstone in there."

Zelgadis blinked. "What? How do you know that with such certainty?"

"Because this gemstone has nothing to do with the Black Magic that the builders of that complex practiced."

"You mean it doesn't have anything to do with Black Magic? Then why do you want it? I thought it was for research." Zelgadis questioned.

"No, not at all. It is related to the Mazoku race, but that's not why I want it. It's for personal reasons."

"Personal reasons?"

"Well," Pestis began. "It's my friend, really, that wants me to get my hands on it for him. But I want to get it for him just as much as he wants me to, so I'm motivated to find it."

"If it's really so old and powerful, and you've been searching for it for years, why haven't you found out anything about it? I'd think something that powerful couldn't possibly be that elusive."

Pestis shook his head, picking up his mug again. "I am one of very few individuals in the world who know of this gemstone. Hardly any humans know of its existence, and it has even become obscure among the Mazoku race."

"Then how do you and your friend know about it?!" Zelgadis exclaimed. He was having trouble wrapping his mind around the concept.

"Zelgadis, I think you may have forgotten that I study Mazoku for a living. And my friend _is _a Mazoku." Pestis replied.

"But if you're the only one who knows about it, then how in the world are we supposed to look for clues to finding it?" Zelgadis was baffled.

"Well… there is one person I know who would probably be our best bet at finding the crystal. A young man who goes by the name 'Shichiro Hoseki,' is a jeweller that lives far to the north of here. He has… er, how should I put it? An… _affinity _for powerful and rare gemstones." Pestis murmured. "I'm not sure I really want to get involved with him. I don't care for the guy very much; he's a tricky sort. But… he might be the only other person who would know where this crystal might be."

"But something this powerful and obscure?"

"Let's not dwell on that. You asked the questions, and I gave the answers. The fact is that I want to find this, and I want your help."

"Why me?!" Zelgadis demanded. "If this thing really is as powerful and dangerous as you say, then..." he paused. "I know you weren't interested in telling me this until you got to know me better, which I can understand if what you say is true. But do you really trust me that much?"

Pestis looked at Zelgadis with a stone-faced expression (rather ironic, given the circumstances.)

"I'm going to come clean with you, Zelgadis, and if you feel as though you are unable to help me with this task because of it, I understand and won't hold it against you. But the fact is that, while I trust you completely, I only trust you with this particular item because I am withholding information. If you- or anyone- knew all there was to know about it, I don't think I would trust them. Don't get me wrong- it's not a safety issue at all! I know that you'd never misuse its power, even if you knew all about it, but it's a matter of personal safety for myself and my friend." Pestis paused. "We, uh, are involved in a profession that requires us to keep a lot of things secretive, I'm afraid."

"Well, that is what Mazoku tend to do..." Zelgadis murmured. He then stayed silent for a moment, taking it all in. The professor was becoming more and more puzzling by the minute. A matter of personal safety? That sounded a little far-fetched, but for someone who studied Mazoku, it only made sense...

"Pestis, may I ask you a question, and can I be assured that you'll give me a straight answer?"

Pestis seemed to think it over for a moment, and looked at Zelgadis with a pained expression. "It... depends on the question. I'm so sorry."

"It's not about the gemstone."

A look of relief passed over Pestis' face and he sighed. "Alright, then. Ask away. Straight answer, I promise."

"How deep is your relation to the Mazoku race?"

Pestis blinked in surprise. "What?"

"I'm asking how involved you are in Mazoku activities. You say that you research them, but there surely must be more to it than that. How involved in Mazoku affairs are you anyway? Are you really just an observer, or is that line crossed on occasion?"

Pestis sighed. "Ah, this question again. Don't worry too much- I get that a lot, actually."

"Really?"

The professor nodded. "Oh yes. Everyone always wants to know 'have you ever followed a Mazoku's orders?' or 'have you ever killed someone because a Mazoku told you to?' or terrible things like that. It gets... annoying sometimes."

Zelgadis blinked in surprise. He suddenly realised that, despite Pestis' kindness and intellect, people probably weren't so trusting of someone who consorted with Mazoku on a regular basis.

"Well, have you?"

"Have I what?"

"Followed the orders of a Mazoku, for one thing."

Pestis chuckled. "Think about it, Zelgadis. Could I afford not to? Of course I've obeyed a few orders before. But..."

"But you'd never intentionally hurt someone, would you?" Zelgadis said it as more of a statement than a question. "That second question- what about it?"

Pestis gave a bitter smile. "No. Trust me, I've never done anything of the sort."

Zelgadis nodded. "I thought not. You're not the type to allow yourself to get roped up in that sort of thing." He paused, shifting his weight slightly. "If I may ask, how exactly did you get to studying Mazoku in the first place? You're not the type I'd imagine being all that interested in the creatures."

"Oh, it runs in my family. I was born into it, so to speak. If you look at some of the Black Magic texts from the ruins- or at least, some from the time period- you'd probably find at least one or two published by a Professor Nisery. The name goes back a long time."

"Wow, really?" Zelgadis asked. "I think I've come across the name 'Nisery' several times in reading old books and such from libraries... but I never made the connection that it was a family thing. Speaking of the ruins, though, I've been meaning to ask you this all day- what do you really think is down there?"

Pestis seemed to blink in surprise to this abrupt subject change. "Wh...what?"

Zelgadis leaned back in the chair, putting his hands behind his head. "If you want my honest opinion, I think that the underground structure must have been constructed to house something besides just books. From that strange carving we saw... to the very feeling of being down there... there's something more to it all. What do you think?"

There was a long period of silence, and Pestis simply sat where he was, his eyes closed, and his hands gripping his coffee mug as though his life depended on it. Finally, he took a deep breath and spoke.

"I think... you're overthinking this, Zelgadis."

Zelgadis was taken aback. Overthinking this?! This coming from the man who worked with Mazoku for a living and knew how strange and mysterious the world of Black Magic could be... he was accusing him of overthinking things?!

"You can't be serious-"

"You're in this just to find information about returning you to your pre-chimeric state, correct?" Pestis responded, his grip on his mug still as tight as ever. "Then why worry about what else is down there?"

"B-but-" Zelgadis stammered. "You're a researcher! Surely you'd want to know what's down there. If it's dangerous, then those of us in the ruins could be in danger too!"

"You're a powerful sorcerer, Zelgadis, and a reputable swordsman if I've heard correctly from Amelia. Why would you be worried about dangerous things?"

Zelgadis frowned. "I'm not worried about myself, but I've dragged you and Amelia into this too. I don't want to put you in danger- someone who can't use much magic-"

"I assure you, I'll be fine. I never said that I physically _can't _use much magic, I said that I was limited- limited only by diplomatic agreements with Mazoku, not my own physical limitations. I rely on brains over brawn most of the time." Pestis interrupted.

Zelgadis paused, and sighed. "Alright, so maybe you and I can hold our own, but what about Amelia? I've pulled her into this, and..."

"Amelia should be fine. She's a priestess and a sorceress in her own right, and..." Pestis paused, a look of realization passing over his face. "Oh, I get it! I'm sorry!"

Zelgadis blinked. "Well, I'm not sure what there is to get, but if you agree with me, then-"

Pestis shook his head. "Zelgadis, I realise how important Amelia is to you, and how much you care about her, but you don't have any reason to worry. Quite honestly, I'll admit that I'm a coward, and as much as I love research, I can't stand the thought of stumbling upon something really dangerous down there. I have the same feeling you do, I assure you, but I don't want to get into trouble and lose sight of our goal. Is that alright? It's your cure that really matters, isn't it?"

With a frown, Zelgadis nodded. "You know, you're right... I guess I'm the curious sort who's not afraid of taking risks, but if it might endanger our chances of finding what I'm looking for, then I can't let myself be distracted."

Pestis smiled. "Thanks. You're a good person, Zelgadis." He stood up with his now empty cup of coffee in one hand. As he passed Zelgadis' chair, he smiled at his friend and reached out to tousle his hair. Zelgadis opened his mouth to warn the professor, but it was already too late. Pestis hissed in pain, drawing back his hand suddenly, and placing a finger in his mouth for a second, and then removed it, shaking his hand in an attempt to shake off the sensation.

"I was going to warn you not to do that." Zelgadis said.

"My bad." Pestis apologised through clenched teeth as he continued through the library. "That's some interesting hair you've got there, kid."

Zelgadis blinked. 'Kid?' "What do you mean, 'kid?' I'm not a kid."

Pestis chuckled. "Oh, come on. Compared to an old guy like me? You're definitely a kid- but in a good way. You're as mature as any young man your age could possibly be, and you've got so many things left to see." There was a pause. "Tomorrow is Saturday, so we'll spend the whole day excavating, and then we could take Sunday off. We'll have to think of something fun to do."

"Sounds fine to me." Zelgadis replied. "I'm not in much of a rush."

Pestis smiled. "I'm glad to hear that. You've got your whole life ahead of you, Zelgadis. You've got to make sure you do something wonderful with it. G'night."

And with those parting words, Pestis left the room.

Zelgadis sighed, leaning back against the chair. "That guy..." he murmured. "I'll never understand him.

* * *

(A/N: It's amazing how much faster I am at writing this now that I'm posting it. I mean, I'm staying consistently 10 chapters ahead, but still, I'm pleased with my own progress. No motivation like moral support, right? Thank you guys so much for all the encouragement, and just for reading! I can't thank you enough! ^_^)


	5. Dispense With Formalities

I'm tired, and getting lazy with inserting the normal disclaimer here. I'm just a fan writing some fiction. A sleep-deprived fan…

* * *

**5- Dispense With Formalities**

"Alright! I'm prepared this time! I brought a raincoat!" Amelia exclaimed proudly.

"Perfect idea, Amelia! That way you'll stay warm and dry down there." Pestis smiled, nodding. He looked down at his own attire, which wasn't the warmest of garments. "Perhaps I ought to take your advice."

"Of course! I wouldn't want you to be cold either, Professor Nisery!" Amelia replied.

"Please, Amelia, you really can just call me 'Pestis."

Amelia paused for a moment, and then nodded. "Alright then... Mister Pestis."

Zelgadis saw the expression on Pestis' face, and couldn't help but chuckle. He put a hand on the professor's shoulder. "Don't worry about the formalities- she does that to everyone, even her closest friends."

"Oh, it's not that big a deal... I just feel odd hearing my nickname spoken with an honorific. If she really wanted to be polite and formal with me, it would be easier for her just to call me 'Mister Alexandre."

"Okay then, Mister Alexandre!" Amelia's voiced chimed from far in front of them. Pestis groaned, and Zelgadis just shook his head bemusedly. Amelia was so stubborn, it was almost funny.

Almost, but not quite.

The first order of business for the excavation was to construct a makeshift entrance to the ruins. All three of them could use Levitation, but if someone else wanted to visit, there had to be another way to get in (besides Amelia's original method, of course.)

It took the better part of the morning, but they managed to create a sort of platform to allow someone to climb down into the tunnels that had collapsed.

The left side of the tunnel was blocked by the rubble and dirt from the cave-in that had formed the entrance. Pestis examined it, and uneasily admitted that it looked unnatural, as though it had been caused by something or someone. The group decided that it was probably an accident, as the job had been done very sloppily, and anyone who knew what the ruins held would never be so careless in getting into it, but Pestis still seemed to have a case of nerves that Zelgadis and Amelia couldn't shake off of him.

They carefully cleared the rubble out of the way of the left side of the tunnel, and found that it extended down deeper into the ground. They decided that, since they had explored the chambers to the right, they might as well find out what was on the left.

The tunnel did not lead to a room as quickly as the one they had taken the previous day. Instead, it continued on and on, the floor sloping downward, and turning into a staircase in some places that were too steep for a graded floor. The floor was wet, and puddles of water on the floor were constantly fed by a steady dripping coming from the ceiling.

"Goodness, this floor is slippery." Amelia commented. "We have to be careful not to fa-"

There was a shriek as she slipped on a slick patch of stone underfoot and fell with a painful thud.

Zelgadis cringed. That sounded like it hurt. And she'd just been talking about being careful not to fall...

"You alright?" he asked, extending a hand to help her up.

"I'm fine." she replied, taking his hand and pulling herself back to her feet. "Just a little shaken."

"The floor is really slippery here because the water has worn away the texture of the floor. It used to be rather rough, so that there was more friction and people wouldn't fall, but in the past thousand years, the water has probably worn the floor smooth." Pestis said. "It might be a good idea to keep hold of something that won't fall, just in case you slip again."

"You'll keep me from falling, won't you, Mister Zelgadis?" Amelia asked, not letting go of his hand.

"Just so long as I don't fall myself." he shrugged casually, continuing on down the hallway, with Amelia following closely behind.

"Mister Alexandre, how deep does this chamber go? It feels like we've been walking for a long time." Amelia questioned as they walked on for another few minutes.

"I'm not sure. Some of the chambers go as far down as 600 metres or deeper. The cave system itself is pretty deep."

"600 metres? What could possibly need to be stored down that far?"

"It's not so much that the building needed to be that deep, but that it follows the cave system, and the caves are that deep."

"Is it dangerous to be that far underground?" Zelgadis asked. "I mean, at a depth like that, it'd be difficult to build ventilation shafts to keep air flowing."

"But the caves are naturally formed structures, so there is natural ventilation." Pestis explained.

"It feels like it's getting colder as we go down." Amelia commented. Zelgadis grabbed the side of his cloak and tossed it around her shoulder, but she pushed it off. "I'm not saying that I'm cold, I'm just saying that the temperature seems to be dropping."

"Maybe just a little, but it shouldn't be too noticeable... At least, I wouldn't think it would be. Most of the time, subterranean environments are fairly stable." Pestis replied.

"Though this is no normal subterranean environment." Zelgadis pointed out.

"Very true." Pestis just nodded.

"Hey, hey! I think I see something up ahead! It's a room, or something!" Amelia exclaimed, pointing in front of the group. She let go of Zelgadis' hand and ran forward, though she forgot that the floor was still slippery, and tripped on a wet patch on the floor, falling flat on her face.

"I'm okay..." she murmured weakly.

Zelgadis groaned and Pestis blinked in surprise. "You're right. She really does fall a lot."

"Sometimes I wonder why I even bother worrying about her." Zelgadis murmured.

Pestis chuckled, but didn't say anything else.

Amelia continued forward, despite her fall, and rushed into the room. Her gasp was very audible, echoing in the large space.

The room was incredibly large, and the three lighting spells seemed to be somewhat engulfed in expanse of dark space. The room was not man-made, like the passages they'd been walking through, but was a natural cave structure, filled with stalactites and stalagmites. One large column, where an ancient stalagmite had grown up to meet an ancient stalactite, stood near the centre of the room. As the group moved closer, they saw that there were various symbols and writing on the column.

"What's written there? It doesn't look like Old Seyruun." Zelgadis commented, walking up to the carving and running his fingers over the pattern.

"No. This isn't even a human language. The symbols and dialect are that used by the Mazoku race. It's a difficult language to read, because it relies on astral powers imbued into the text as well as physical characters." Pestis replied.

"You're a Mazoku expert. Can you read it?" Amelia asked.

"Can humans even read something like that?" Zelgadis wanted to know.

"They can, but only if they already have a foundation of knowledge of astral magic. Even then it can take years and years for a human to gain the expertise needed to interpret the complex magical signatures coupled with the text. It's no easy process."

"And you can read it?" Amelia asked.

Pestis gave a small nod. He walked up to the column and placed his hand on the carving, scrutinizing it for a moment. "Yeah," he murmured. "that's exactly what I thought it said."

"What?"

"It's an amplification spell."

Zelgadis seemed confused. "Amplification?"

Pestis nodded. "The Mazoku language differs from human writing because human writing simply conveys a message. Mazoku writing actually contains the spiritual essence of the text."

"Spiritual essence?" Amelia questioned.

"It's a difficult concept to explain to a human who's never had any experience with such a language." Pestis sighed, pausing for a moment. "I suppose you could say that it's like the power words to a spell. Speaking those words allows you to fire the spell and create a magical effect, right?"

"Of course. Everyone who practices magic knows that!" Amelia exclaimed.

"Well, writing the power words to a spell in the written language of Mazoku has basically the same effect as speaking them in a human language. If you use the Mazoku language to write the power words to a spell, you would be able to fire it without even speaking them."

"Really? That sounds convenient!" Amelia enthused.

"But can humans write in the language?" Zelgadis asked.

"Mister Zelgadis, I would think that if they could read the language, then writing it would surely not be as difficult-"

"No, Zelgadis is right. Humans don't have the power to produce the writing themselves, due to the astral aspect of it. They can copy the symbols, but without the astral side of it, the writing is meaningless." Pestis replied.

"Oh, that's too bad..." Amelia seemed to wilt slightly.

"Wait a minute..." Zelgadis murmured. "If this can only be written by a Mazoku... and it's part of the complex... does that mean that the Black Magicians were collaborating with the Mazoku race?"

Pestis was quiet for a moment, staring at the column silently. "Well..." he began softly. "there was a rumour..."

"What kind of rumour?!" Amelia gasped.

"The rumour that circulated outside of the group of Black Magicians was that one of their members- the man who did many of the carvings and artwork for the complex both aboveground and underneath- was a Mazoku."

"Was it true?" Amelia asked.

"I would think that this column confirms it." Zelgadis responded. "They had to have a Mazoku working with them to have this amplification spell written in that language."

"They were a society that focused on Black Magic. It makes sense that they would have a Mazoku working with them."

"But what was the Mazoku getting out of it? How was the Mazoku benefitting from the agreement?" Zelgadis asked. "Mazoku don't generally participate in human activities unless it's for their own particular purposes."

"Perhaps the Mazoku wanted to use the facility for storage of something as well." Pestis shrugged.

"But storage of what?" Zelgadis puzzled.

"Mazoku have books too, you know." Amelia suggested.

"Maybe... but what if there's something else?" Zelgadis suggested.

"Like what, Mister Zelgadis?"

Zelgadis paused. "I... don't know."

"Then let's not worry about it." Pestis shrugged. "We shouldn't make a big deal about these things. While this room is very beautiful, it isn't what we're looking for. There isn't any information here- this was just a room that they used for training and special ceremonies. We should backtrack down the hallway we came from. There were plenty of forks that we passed- I'm sure that one of them will lead to another library, or other source of information. Come on." He began to leave the room, and motioned for the other two to follow him.

"I'll be there in a few minutes. I want to look at this room a little more, since we probably won't be here again." Zelgadis replied. "Amelia, if you want to go ahead with Pestis, you can."

"I'll stay here with you, Mister Zelgadis. I really want to see if there are any other carvings here too. Mazoku or not, whoever carved these was an extremely talented artist."

"That's an awfully nice thing to say, Amelia. I'm sure that, wherever the carver of those lithographs is, he'd be appreciative of your kind words." Pestis replied with a smile.

"Well, even a Mazoku enjoys praise, I suppose." Zelgadis agreed. "Go on ahead, Pestis. Just wait for us at the first place the tunnel forks, so that we won't get lost."

"I will. Thanks." Pestis nodded. "Just don't take too long."

"We won't!" Amelia waved as the professor took off down the path.

"I wonder why he was so eager to get out of here." Zelgadis murmured to himself.

"Perhaps Mister Alexandre is afraid of the dark." Amelia suggested, still smiling.

Zelgadis stared at her. "Afraid of the dark? Really, Amelia? How old do you think the man is?"

Amelia shrugged. "I don't know. Nineteen or twenty, maybe. He might be younger, but I think he's too smart for that. He's just a young man, making his start in life- you've got to allow for a few little flaws like a fear of darkness!"

Zelgadis shook his head, but didn't say anything, not feeling like telling Amelia that her 'young man making his start in life' was actually a nearly middle-aged widower, who'd made his start in life a long time ago.

"In any case, you were right about these carvings. They really are intricate and beautiful."

"Aren't they?" she asked with a smile. "Hey look, I found some more on this wall over here!"

Zelgadis followed Amelia over to the spot where she'd been standing, holding up his lighting spell to get a better view of the carving. "Huh, it is some more of that Mazoku writing, isn't it? I wonder what it says..."

"If only Mister Alexandre was here to read it for us." Amelia sighed. "Should I go get him?"

"No, don't trouble him about it." Zelgadis shook his head. "Though..." he paused, running his hand along the wall. "this is odd..."

"What's odd?"

"The wall... it's not rough and uneven, like the rest of the cave walls. It's very smooth. Unnaturally smooth- as though it were man-made."

"Perhaps they just needed a flat surface to carve the characters on." Amelia suggested it.

"Well, they certainly didn't need it on that column over there. Did you see that thing?" Zelgadis replied. "I have an odd feeling about this..."

"Okay, you're starting to scare me now, Mister Zelgadis. What kind of bad feeling?" Amelia shuddered.

"Well... I just... I'm not sure. Don't worry too much about it- it's probably nothing. I've had hunches like this before, and nothing's come of them. It's probably just another amplification spell. Let's head back to where Pestis is waiting for us."

"Alright, then!" Amelia exclaimed, rushing toward the exit to the room. She lost her balance for a moment, almost falling, but she managed to right herself before actually falling over.

"Do you need to hold my hand again so you won't fall?" Zelgadis teased.

"Of course not! I'm no child, Mister Zelgadis!" Amelia pouted.

Zelgadis chuckled. "I know you are. But... you know..."

She stopped and turned around to him. "What?"

"You really... don't have to keep using 'Mister' all the time."

Amelia blinked. "Why not?"

"Because... well..." Zelgadis paused. "I don't use any honorifics for you."

"That doesn't matter. I respect you, Mister Zelgadis." Amelia smiled.

"I know you do- you don't have to emphasize it. If you really respect me so much, can you _respectfully_ stop using the honorific?"

Amelia seemed slightly confused. "Alright then... I'll try, I suppose... Zelgadis."

"Good." Zelgadis nodded. "Now let's get going- and try not to fall, this time, okay?"

"I'm not going to fall!" Amelia protested, running after him. "Have faith in me, Mister Ze- um, I mean, Zelgadis!"

Zelgadis chuckled, and led the way out of the room.

* * *

Pestis sighed to himself as he walked up the steep grade of the corridor, leaving Amelia and Zelgadis behind for the moment.

"I really don't mind giving those two some alone time, I just wish they'd take it somewhere less dangerous. If they only knew how close that room is to the-"

"Hi there! You're a familiar face! Professor Nisery, right?"

Pestis stopped dead in his tracks, staring in horror at the individual in front of him. "Wh-who are you...?" he murmured.

The young woman, whose features were obscured by the darkness of the cave, took a step forward. "Oh, come now, Professor. Don't you remember me? Of maybe you were too busy watching the generals and priests the last time we met that you didn't pay the least bit of attention to anyone else?"

Pestis blinked in surprise. "Now I remember you! You're one of Lord Dynast's minions!"

The Mazoku chuckled. "Minion? That's 'lieutenant general' now."

"So what's a lieutenant general doing in these ruins? What do you want?" Pestis murmured softly.

"Oh, you know exactly what I'm after, Professor. I'm just so glad I didn't have to track you down to fetch it for me."

Pestis gasped. "Y-you don't mean-"

"What's the matter? It shouldn't be a problem. Lord Dynast says-"

"Now wait a minute." Pestis stopped her, still speaking calmly, but sternly. "I don't care what Lord Dynast says. I cannot allow you just to come in and take what you want. And I certainly won't be facilitating that sort of behaviour."

"Oh, and who's going to stop us? You? What are you doing, anyway? I'd think that you'd have better things to do than to stand around these old ruins and play guard dog."

Pestis frowned. "As a matter of fact, I'm here for a totally unrelated reason. But that does not mean that I can just allow you to take what was never yours."

"And you plan to stop us? How?" the Mazoku laughed. "I know Lord Dynast claims that you could rip him to shreds with both hands tied behind your back, but he also claims that you won't. It's about 'diplomacy,' or something."

"I won't deny anything that you say." Pestis replied sternly. "Diplomacy calls for me to not harm any Mazoku without sufficient reasoning. Negotiation is not a matter of what either side will do, but what they can do."

The Mazoku across from him chuckled. "Maybe so, but what if we play dirty? You're not here alone, I can tell. There are two other life forms I can faintly sense in these ruins. If one of these humans were to- ah, how should I put this- _mysteriously _come to some harm, what would you do?"

Pestis walked up to the Mazoku, and shined his light in her face.

"Listen to me." he whispered, his voice dead serious. "You or any of your comrades lay one hand on Zelgadis or Amelia, and I will consider that sufficient reasoning for diplomacy to be thrown out the window and I will kill you- _and_ your beloved Lord Dynast. Understand? I'm telling you to leave now and never return. Take that back to your boss to consider for a moment."

She scowled, but took a step back. "I will." she murmured. "But don't think that just because of your power, you can bend all of the Mazoku race to your whims. It doesn't work that way, Professor. You'll see."

And with that, she reluctantly phased away.

Pestis put a hand to the wall and slumped to his knees, burying his face in his hands.

"Oh, what have I done?!" he sobbed miserably. "What have I gotten Zelgadis and Amelia into?! Can't the Mazoku race mind their own business for once?!"

He stood up, drying his eyes as he heard Amelia's voice calling out to him from down the corridor. He was certainly glad of their timing. If they had appeared just a few minutes earlier...

"Mister Alexandre, is something wrong?" Amelia asked.

"Oh, no. It's nothing. I was just feeling a tiny bit faint. I think there's less oxygen down here than we assumed." he replied cheerfully. "Perhaps we should go ahead and call it a day. We can come back on Monday to look around- none of the books are going anywhere."

"Alright, then." Amelia smiled back. "That's fine with me. I'm getting a bit tired anyway. We've walked so far today."

"These passages do extend quite a long way. Next time we come in here, all we have to do is follow the marks we've made so that we know where we've been. Then we'll have no problem doing more exploring." Pestis said, directing them with his hand. "But before that, we need to think of something fun to do tomorrow. Amelia, since you live in Seyruun, can I talk to you about that?"

"Sure, Mister Alexandre!" Amelia chimed happily, catching up to him. "We're going to have lots of fun together! It'll be great!"

Zelgadis stared at them as he followed behind, not paying any attention to their conversation. Something... didn't feel right.

Maybe it was just his imagination, or maybe he was hallucinating from the purported lack of oxygen, but he could have sworn that he sensed the bloodlust of a Mazoku hanging in the dense underground atmosphere.

* * *

(Pestis was getting in touch with his inner wicked-witch there… 'I'll get you, my pretty- and your little Dark Lord too!' XD)


	6. Conveniently Indisposed

…I really need to work faster. November is coming up, and I haven't the slightest idea what I'm going to do… Anyway, anyway, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan who has a little bit too much fun writing stories about these fictional characters. Do enjoy, please!

* * *

**6- Conveniently Indisposed **

"Hey, Pestis! I need to talk to you!"

Zelgadis' voice rang out through the library, and the professor, who was sitting and reading a fiction book in one of the chairs, looked up in surprise.

"Oh! Zelgadis!" he exclaimed, jumping up and tossing his book into the chair. "There you are! I was going to try and find you. I wanted to talk to you too!" The professor had a big smile on his face, though his friend did not reciprocate the expression.

"Why were you so eager to get out of the ruins earlier tonight?" Zelgadis asked sternly.

Pestis cocked his head to the side confusedly. "Pardon?"

Zelgadis took a step forward. "I want to know why you left the ruins in such a rush!"

Pestis seemed to cower back slightly. "I-I told you... I wasn't feeling like myself, and thought that maybe we should get out of there. Why?"

Zelgadis suddenly realised how threatening he must have seemed, and took a step back. "I was just curious. It felt strange and abrupt. When Amelia and I caught up with you, you hadn't gone far, but you didn't look like you were yourself. What was the matter?" There was a pause. "If it's something important, I'd really like to know about it."

Pestis looked around, trying to find anywhere to look except for Zelgadis' eyes. He sighed, realizing that his reluctance to answer had given him away, and accepted the futility of his attempt to keep the information from his friends.

"I'm sorry Zelgadis. I shouldn't have lied to you. The thing was, when I left the room we'd been in, I met a Mazoku. She wasn't... especially threatening... but she had malicious intentions. I got her to leave, and was able to use my position in our defence, but I don't know whether she'll abide by the diplomacy of the Mazoku race or not." He sighed sadly. "It's so troublesome, always working with demons."

"What was she after?" Zelgadis questioned. "Why did she come into these ruins?"

"Well... her purpose wasn't too clear..."

Zelgadis nodded. "I see. What can we do about it?"

"Nothing right now." Pestis replied. "Maybe she'll follow my instructions and leave us alone."

"Are Mazoku usually eager to follow your instructions?" Zelgadis asked, unsure of whether it was a good idea to trust that the Mazoku would be willing to listen to the scrawny, very un-threatening-looking professor.

"Almost always." Pestis replied with ice-cold seriousness. He perked up again, and continued. "So let's not worry about it for the moment. The Mazoku aren't after anything that we have, and they're not after anything we're after. There's nothing left to do but wait, and let them make the next move. Maybe their next move will be to leave us alone, and we'll have nothing to worry about."

Zelgadis sighed reluctantly. "I hope so." He looked up and stared at Pestis again for a moment. "And thanks... for telling the truth. You know that you can trust me, right? I mean... we're friends and everything, so..."

Pestis stiffened, looking at Zelgadis with sparkling eyes. "R-really?!" The professor jumped forward and grabbed Zelgadis' hand. "Y-you really think that we're... _friends_?"

Zelgadis was frozen for a moment. "Umm... yes?" he ventured.

"Oh!" Pestis exclaimed loudly, throwing his arms around Zelgadis. "You don't know how much that means to me! You are the third real friend I've ever had in all of my life, you know that?"

The chimera blinked in confusion, half because he was surprised, and half because things were moving really fast, and he wasn't sure what was going on. "Really?"

"Yes!" Pestis said, letting go of his newfound friend and taking a respectful step back. "Sorry about that. I do hope you won't hold it against me. I was just... so happy to hear you say that..."

"Uh… no problem." Zelgadis replied. "I just hope we'll have better luck with finding things tomorrow than we did today."

"Oh, but tomorrow's the fun day off!" Pestis protested. "It's going to be great!"

"What is?"

Professor Nisery's eyes glinted mischievously. "Your date with Amelia, of course."

Zelgadis stiffened. "E-excuse me?! My what?! We are most certainly not going on a date! It's going to be the three of us!"

"Well, that was the plan, at least." Pestis shrugged. "But, you know, three's a crowd."

"What are you talking about?!" Zelgadis demanded.

"Oh, nothing, nothing." Pestis replied, waving him off with his hand. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got some important things to take care of. I'll catch up with you later... Zelgadis~"

Zelgadis shuddered at the professor's tone. "Why'd you say my name like that?!"

"That's how Amelia says it, isn't it? At least, as of today... what went on between you while I was dealing with a trespassing Mazoku?"

Zelgadis looked away. "Nothing important."

"Good." Pestis smiled, much to Zelgadis' confusion. "That means that I haven't missed anything!"

And with that, Pestis left the library, chuckling to himself.

Zelgadis sighed. "And just when I thought I was starting to relate to him, too..."

* * *

The next morning, Zelgadis awoke early, just as Amelia had instructed him to do. She'd said that they wanted to make the most of their day off, and should get up early to seize the day while it was still unsuspecting. Zelgadis would rather seize his day a little later, but there was no arguing with a psyched up Amelia.

He clambered out of bed and got dressed, opening his room to go out into the hallway. It was quiet, with no sign of Pestis, so Zelgadis figured that the man was already up and going- he did seem like a morning person, after all. Shrugging it off, Zelgadis continued toward the breakfast room, when suddenly he heard the door behind him open and close. "Pestis?" he turned around, surprised that the man had slept this late.

It wasn't Pestis at all. It was Amelia. What had she been doing in the professor's room?

"Oh, Mister Zelgadis! It's terrible!" she shrieked.

"Wh-what? What's terrible?" Zelgadis demanded.

"M-Mister Alexandre... he... he... he's sick! He can't come with us on our fun outing to see Seyruun!"

There was a long pause. Some of Pestis' conversation from the night before ran through Zelgadis' mind. Stuff about his "date with Amelia", and that "three's a crowd." The chimera frowned in annoyance.

"He's faking it."

"What?" Amelia didn't seem to catch his words.

"I said that he's faking it." Zelgadis replied. "He's not really sick."

"Th-that... can't be..." Amelia stammered. "I know he must be sick."

Zelgadis raised an eyebrow. "How?"

He was sure that he saw Amelia's face turn a slight green colour. "It's one of those nasty stomach flus, y'know, when you've got a fever, and it's impossible to keep food down, and… well…" she leaned in closer and whispered "You really can't fake that sort of thing, Zelgadis."

Zelgadis cringed. "Really?"

"Really."

Amelia was serious, and Zelgadis realised that, if she was really serious, then Pestis must be really sick.

"But he was fine yesterday..."

"He says that it's probably one of those 24-hour things." Amelia replied. "That they start up quickly, and then are gone as fast as they came up."

24-hour thing, huh? Zelgadis was suddenly suspicious again. What if Amelia had conspired with Pestis on it? He didn't see why she'd want to, but perhaps if she was crazy enough...

"Could I go see him? Just to make sure he's okay, and all." Zelgadis replied.

"Of course! I was thinking about perhaps cancelling our outing today, and staying to keep him company. It would be impolite for us to just leave him when he's feeling so ill, don't you think?"

Well, Amelia had singlehandedly set aside Zelgadis' suspicions that she had been conspiring with Pestis. Perhaps staying here and keeping the guy company would be the best idea. It might be a bit boring, but Pestis and Amelia were fun people to talk to, and Zelgadis figured that he could probably use a bit of rest.

"That sounds like the perfect thing to do, Amelia."

Amelia knocked on the door and opened it slightly. "Mister Alexandre? Mister Zelgadis and I are here. Are you alright?"

"Oh, Amelia, that was fast. Was he in his room?" a weak voice called from within the room. Zelgadis had to give the guy some credit- if he was faking sounding sick, he was doing a darn good job of it.

"No, he was actually just leaving for breakfast. It's a good thing I caught him in the hallway. Are you feeling any better?"

"No, Amelia. It's barely been a few minutes. No change."

He looked like a different man, sitting up in bed, his hair dishevelled, his glasses set aside on the nightstand, and wearing a wrinkled, white T-shirt that was several sizes too large for him. His face was pale, with a feverish look, and his silver eyes were slightly unfocused, though whether from his illness, or just the fact that he couldn't see well without his spectacles, Zelgadis wasn't sure.

"I'm sorry, Zelgadis, I must look a mess." Pestis apologized after a moment of silence.

"Don't worry about it. You look better sick than a lot of bandits I've fought when they were in complete health.

Pestis chuckled weakly, and Amelia laughed as well. It broke the tension slightly, which all three people in the room were grateful for.

Amelia sat down on the edge of the bed. "Don't worry too much, Mister Alexandre. Zelgadis and I will stay here and keep you company today."

Pestis shot up in bed, and then seemed to be dizzy for a moment, before speaking. "Y-you can't do that. Don't keep yourselves from having a good time on my account!"

"Oh, but it would be so rude to leave you here all by yourself. I couldn't do that, and neither could Mister Zelgadis!" Amelia replied.

"Please..." Pestis continued. "I don't want to feel like a burden on you two. My day will probably consist of mostly sleeping anyway, so you'd just be bored. Plus I'd never forgive myself if either of you caught this dreadful virus I've come down with. Please, just let me rest here, and go about your plans. Just remember to bring me back a souvenir."

Zelgadis had been suspicious before, but now he had to change his mind. Honestly, poor Pestis seemed to be truly sick, and he didn't want the man to feel like they weren't honouring his requests. After all, if they were going out somewhere together only because the third person had been unable to come with them, it couldn't be considered a 'date,' could it? Of course not!

"Amelia, as much as I want to stay here with him, we'd probably only be keeping him from sleeping, which would deprive his body of the rest it needs to fight whatever infection he's got. Let's go out and get him something nice to bring back and share."

"But nothing food-related, please." Pestis interrupted, looking slightly nauseous at the thought. "I really appreciate this, you guys. You're so nice to me..."

"Oh, don't worry about it, Mister Alexandre. You just rest- that's what you need right now. We'll bring you back something nice, alright?"

"Thank you, Amelia." Pestis murmured, sinking back into his pillow, as though he were already drifting back to sleep. Amelia got up, and motioned for Zelgadis to follow.

"I'll ask Daddy to come in and check on you once or twice during the day, to make sure you're alright. I might ask someone to bring you some broth or some crackers- just something easy to keep down. You do need your strength, after all."

Pestis just nodded silently.

Zelgadis turned around for just a moment on his way out, and looked back at Pestis.

"Sorry 'bout this. I hope you feel better."

There was a moment without a reply, so Zelgadis decided to continue on. He'd just reached for the doorknob, and was about to close the door when he could have sworn he heard a faint whisper "...have fun on your _date_..."

The chimera jumped back into the room to get a good look at the professor, but Pestis appeared to be fast asleep.

* * *

True to her word of giving a sightseeing tour of the city, Amelia dragged Zelgadis around the city, showing him many places that actually surprised him, as he'd never been there before. The late spring air was warm and clear, and flowers were blooming all over the city, adding to the beauty of the architecture. Amelia showed Zelgadis some smaller temples located in certain parts of the city, and various attractions. She led him to a small, but renowned magic shop, where he spent at least an hour looking through the various wares. Amelia smiled and watched him the whole time- he knew because every time he glanced over at her, expecting her to be either bored and wanting to leave, or engrossed in the magical items herself, she was glancing at him with a gentle smile on her face. He didn't like people staring at him, but somehow Amelia didn't make it 'staring.' She made it... something else entirely.

After spending most of the morning and early afternoon enjoying themselves in the city, they were more than ready to eat a late lunch. Amelia had a particular cafe that she claimed had the best iced coffee in the entire southern peninsula. It was apparently made from a different species of coffee bean that had been discovered growing in the Outer World, and this cafe went to the trouble of importing it for their specialty coffees- which paid off in the end, due to customer demand.

Zelgadis stared into his cup as he and Amelia sat at the table, awaiting the soups and sandwiches they had ordered. "I saw that they sell just the plain coffee beans in the store. We should pick some up and take them back to Pestis as a gift. He'd be so excited- that man does love his coffee."

"That's a wonderful idea, Mister Zelgadis!" Amelia exclaimed happily. "I'm sure he'll love it!"

Zelgadis frowned. "What did I tell you about the 'Mister'? You've been doing that all morning."

Amelia looked genuinely surprised. "H-have I?! I didn't even notice! I'm sorry Zelgadis! It's just... it's like the honorific has become part of your name... it just rolls off my tongue now from saying it so many times..."

Zelgadis shrugged. "I understand. Just keep at it- you'll break the habit eventually."

Amelia nodded. "Right, Zelgadis!"

Turning his attention back to the ice cubes in his drink, Zelgadis spoke up again. "So, where to after lunch?"

"I don't know. Where would you like to go?"

Zelgadis blinked. "You're asking me?"

"Yes. I thought that, since I've been dragging you around all of today, it's only fair to let you pick a destination."

Zelgadis pondered it for a moment. "Where do I want to go, huh? There is something I've been thinking about since last night..."

"Really? Where?!" Amelia asked, getting excited.

Zelgadis looked her in the eyes seriously. "I want to go see that wall again."

Amelia blinked. "Wall? What wall?"

"You know, the wall with the Mazoku writing on it."

"B-but that's in the ruins! You don't want to go there, do you...? Today's our day off!"

"I'm sorry Amelia, but I just can't get my mind off of it. This would be a perfect time- since Pestis is afraid of that room, I wouldn't want to drag him back in there, and he's not with us now. We marked the path with marking spells, so it would be easy to simply find our way back to the room and look at the wall. Is that okay?"

Amelia paused, but then nodded. "Alright, then. If you want to go back to the ruins, we can go. We'll make it fun!"

Zelgadis smiled. "Thanks, Amelia. I just can't help wondering about that wall... there's something about it..."

* * *

(A/N: So… is Pestis really sick, or not?)


	7. Forging Pathways

(Hello again~! It's been a while since my last update- I've been busy with the annual writing scramble for November, and had put my fanfictions aside for the month… now I've finished early, and I'm excited to be back to writing Slayers! Yay! As usual, though, I don't own anything- I'm just a fan having lots of fun writing some fiction. Do enjoy!)

* * *

**7- Forging Pathways**

Sleeping all day didn't seem to be such a bad thing, Pestis decided.

It was relaxing, and he didn't have to worry about much. Sure, he felt terrible, but when he was asleep, he didn't notice.

Unfortunately, Seyruun's prince had other plans for him.

"PROFESSOR!" Phil's voice boomed through the hallway, and he burst through the door. "Oh, I heard that you were sick! How terrible! What a tragedy! Are you alright?"

Pestis' head spun. That was a lot of talking for him to process at the moment.

"Uh... thanks for the worry, your highness... but I'm not dying or anything. I just need some sleep-"

Phil didn't seem to hear his request, as he sat down on the edge of the bed, staring in concern at the young man in front of him. "I'm so sorry that you're feeling ill- and all alone on top of it!"

"Amelia and Zelgadis offered to keep me company, but I told them to go on ahead with their plans- I'm just going to be sleeping anyway. It would be a waste of time for someone to sit and keep me company."

"Nonsense!" Phil exclaimed. "That's absurd! I shall keep you company!"

"Sir... please... You really don't have to do that." Pestis stammered, trying to make it apparent that he really didn't want Phil to stay.

"Oh, please, I insist!" Phil pressed. "I have heard from Amelia of all your exploits thus far! She can't stop talking about how intelligent and considerate you are! She talks about you almost as much as she talks about Zelgadis- which must mean that she highly respects you."

This elicited a smile from the ill professor. "Ah, so I'm almost as prominent in her mind as Zelgadis is? That's a compliment of the highest degree, to be sure. I suppose you don't mind that they're so close?"

"Mind?!" Phil boomed, and for a second, Pestis was afraid that the man might be against his daughter's relationship with the chimera. But, instead of getting angry, Phil began to laugh. "Mister Zelgadis is one of the bravest and strongest men I've had the privilege of knowing! He may not be happy with his outward appearance, but he is truly good on the inside, and that's where it matters." Philionel tapped his chest. "In the heart- that's where it all counts."

Pestis nodded understandingly. "Isn't that the truth? I wish everyone thought the way you do, your highness. The world would be a much better place to live in."

Phil gave a bitter smile and a nod of his head in agreement. "If only, Professor Nisery, if only…" He perked up a bit from his wistful countenance, and got up, crossing over to the small table where he had set down a small box as he'd come in. "I brought you something, Professor. They said that you hadn't eaten breakfast, and seeing as it's nearly lunchtime, I thought you might-"

"Thanks, but no thanks!" Pestis exclaimed quickly. "Please, I'm really in no shape to eat anything. It'd be a waste, considering I probably couldn't keep it down."

Phil glanced at him in concern. "Well, you'll at least drink some juice, won't you? You need something besides water- a growing boy such as you needs his food!"

Pestis chuckled, feeling slightly amused. He got such comments often, and it was getting to be fun dispelling them sometimes.

"Sorry to burst your bubble, Prince Philionel, but I stopped growing a long time ago."

Phil stopped and stared for a moment, holding the glass of orange juice in his hand, a shocked expression on his face. "…are you joking?"

"I'm completely serious. How long do you think it takes to become a certified professor? And then the time to gain recognition and to do all the research I've done… I'm far older than you imagine, your highness." Pestis gave a shy smile. He sat up as Phil handed him the juice.

"So you really are older than you appear, hmm? I should have imagined as much." Phil sighed. "You always seemed so mature, after all. And I'd wondered if it was my imagination, but I thought I noticed that your hair was greying slightly."

Pestis choked on his juice. "WHAT?!" He ran a hand through his hair desperately. "Grey hair?! Can't be! I know I'm not exactly a spring chicken, but I didn't think I looked THAT old!"

Phil suddenly realized he'd misspoken, and tried to calm down the professor. "N-now, now, I was probably wrong! On second glance, it seems just to be a very dull brown! That is your natural hair colour, isn't it?"

"Well… yes…" Pestis murmured. "But still… I don't want grey hair…"

"Most of us get some eventually, from all the stresses of our daily life." Phil replied, still trying to be comforting. "Raising two daughters has given me my fair share."

"Two daughters?" Pestis asked curiously. "Amelia has a sister?"

"Yes, my eldest daughter Gracia." Phil nodded, with a smile full of paternal admiration. "She is off on a great journey at the moment, but she writes home often. Amelia and I miss her, as it's just the two of us now, but we know that she is alright, and that she works hard to preserve Justice."

"Just the two of you?" Pestis questioned. "What happened to Amelia's mother?"

Phil's expression changed, and his gaze shifted to the floor. "My wife… passed away… several years ago."

"Oh, Prince Phil…" Pestis breathed, feeling a surge of pain and sympathy for the man. "I had no idea. The two of you always seemed so, uh… how should I put it…?"

"Resilient?" Phil asked, providing the word for him.

"I suppose that works well enough." Pestis nodded. "Resiliency really is what's needed to deal with a tragedy like that. It's a tragedy that people who have never experienced it could never fathom... to lose someone whom you've loved for so long, and who is almost like a part of you- it's like losing a part of your soul, isn't it?"

Phil looked to be on the verge of tears. "Why, Professor, that was awfully poetic of you. I've never heard anyone put it into words like that before."

Pestis shrugged. "Well, it's just... I lost my wife too, so I can relate to your situation."

Before he could figure out what was going on, Pestis found himself trapped in a giant, suffocating bear hug.

"Why, my dear Professor Nisery! I had no idea you suffered from such emotional hardships! For a man as nice as you are to have seen more than his fair share of suffering like that- it's unthinkable!"

"Y-your highness-" Pestis choked. "P-please... let go... If I get you sick, I don't know how I'd be able to live with myself-"

"Nonsense!" Phil exclaimed, letting go of the professor anyway. "A heart filled with Justice cannot become sickened!"

Pestis said nothing to Phil, just muttering to himself "um... yeah, it can...", but Phil didn't hear him.

"Anyway," Pestis began again, handing Phil the now-half-emptied glass of orange juice. "that's one of the reasons that I want to see Amelia and Zelgadis work things out between themselves. I don't want either of them to end up losing the other while they still have regrets. I know they're too young for something like that, but… things happen..."

"As much as I hate to admit it, I agree with you. There should be no regrets in death, and it can happen so suddenly. I know that, when I woke up that morning all those years ago, I would never expect that my beloved would be gone before the end of the day..." he sighed sadly. "Was it that way with your wife?"

Pestis shook his head. "No sir. We knew for months in advance that she was dying. There was nothing we- or anyone- could do for her."

Phil nodded."I see. I suppose you were lucky, then. You were prepared."

"I wouldn't call it lucky." Pestis replied. "Honestly, it hurt, watching her ailing, knowing that her body would eventually lose the fight against the inevitable... she was so strong through the whole thing, I don't know how she did it. It was hard for me to take."

There was a long silence, and Phil just nodded his head. They both knew that sometimes the best condolences that can be given are the simple words "I'm sorry," and no further bothering. The grieving person is suffering enough already.

Pestis sighed. "I suppose..." he began. "that it all comes down to having your heart broken piece by piece, or all at once."

Phil nodded again, still silent. The melancholy silence was becoming uncomfortable, so Pestis figured that he had to change the subject, and fast.

"So, what kinds of interesting things are there to see in Seyruun?!" he began perkily, trying to shake off the seriousness of the previous conversation. "Amelia was going to take me around- maybe you could give me somewhat of a tour from here instead?"

"Ah! You've asked the right question, my boy! I'll tell you everything I know!" Phil answered in his normal, booming voice. Pestis suddenly realised that it might not have been the best thing to ask, but he sighed and listened as Phil began talking, with no sign of stopping anytime in the next few hours or so.

* * *

"Are you sure that we marked the way to the room? It seems as though the marking spells we put on the walls completely vanished." Amelia murmured in concern.

"I know exactly where we are." Zelgadis replied defensively. He paused for a moment. "But you're right. There should be a marker here. There should have been several a while back, come to think of it."

"Why did they disappear?" Amelia asked. "No one has been in here since we left last night."

"I'm not so sure about that. You see... according to Pestis, there was a Mazoku here last night."

Amelia stopped in her tracks. "Wh-what?! A Mazoku?! Last night?!"

"Apparently."

"But how could he have seen a Mazoku, and we didn't? We were all together the whole time!"

"It was when you and I stayed behind to look at the carvings on the wall that we're going back to see."

"That wasn't long. Was Mister Alexandre attacked?" Amelia still seemed unconvinced.

"He didn't say much. He just said that he asked her to leave, and he's not sure what she's going to do. Apparently he's a rather prominent figure among the Mazoku race."

"He'd have to be in order to study Mazoku the way he does." Amelia sighed sadly, placing her chin in her hand. "Poor Mister Alexandre, to be so involved in the works of evil. It must be stressful for him. No wonder he got sick."

"I wouldn't be too worried. He's stronger than he seems. I'm sure that, whatever happens, he won't have any problems-"

The chimera's voice cut off abruptly, seeing what was in front of them.

A large pile of rubble sat in the middle of the corridor, blocking the path.

"Now THAT wasn't there last night." Amelia breathed.

Zelgadis approached the pile, holding up his Lighting spell to examine it more closely.

"The walls were blasted with some sort of energy, and collapsed."

"How terrible! Who could have done such an evil deed to a historical landmark such as this?!"

Zelgadis shot her a glance. "I hope that was a rhetorical question, Amelia."

"It was." she nodded. "It's clear that, whatever Mazoku was here last night, they did a lot of damage. Do you think that they've been ordered to destroy the ruins?"

"I haven't the slightest idea." Zelgadis replied. "But perhaps we ought to get this out of our way. I'm sure of it now- whatever the Mazoku in here want, it's connected with the message on that wall."

"But even if we were to clear out this rubble and get to the wall, we couldn't read what the message says. We would need to go get Mister Alexandre to translate, and we can't do that now, because he's sick. Besides, we don't know what is behind this. It could be something... bad..." Amelia shuddered.

"We won't find out if we don't investigate, now will we?" Zelgadis replied, stepping forward and extending a hand in the direction of the rubble, powering up a spell. "Damu Br-"

"Zelgadis! Wait!" Amelia grabbed him from behind, causing him to lose focus and the spell to dissipate.

"What?!" he asked in irritation.

"If you use a big spell like that, you could cause more damage to the ruins, or even cause them to collapse on top of us!"

Zelgadis frowned. "I knew what I was doing, Amelia." he defended. "You don't have to get so upset. Do you have a better idea about how to get all those rocks out of the way?"

"We could do it manually." she replied, releasing him from her grip. "That way it wouldn't damage the ruins."

Zelgadis blinked in confusion. "Amelia! That would take too long!"

"Not if we worked together." Amelia pouted, crossing her arms defiantly. "The power of teamwork will be on our side. Besides, you're so strong, it wouldn't take much at all for you to get them out of the way."

Zelgadis sighed, remembering how futile it was to argue with Amelia. Of course she was going to make this as difficult as possible. "Fine." he sighed. "We'll do it manually- only to prevent the tunnels from collapsing on our heads. It wouldn't be good for us to be buried alive, anyway."

The two set to work clearing the rubble from the corridor. It actually wasn't as much as Zelgadis had expected, and he wondered whether it had been an accident on the Mazoku's part, or whether it really was supposed to be a deterrent to keep them away from that room. Whatever it was, it didn't deter them for very long, and they continued down the corridor without any troubles.

"Is that the room up ahead?" Amelia pointed.

"It may be. I'm not sure, considering the fact that our marking spells were all erased." Zelgadis replied.

"I'll go see!" Amelia enthused. She ran ahead energetically, though she ran into a slick patch on the floor and fell flat on her face again.

Zelgadis groaned. "Not again." he murmured. "You really ought to stop running, Amelia. It's bad for you."

She pulled herself to her feet, brushing herself off. "Nonsense... I'm just a bit damp, is all. I didn't wear my raincoat, because I didn't know we'd be coming here."

"You want to borrow my cloak?" he offered, realizing that it was his fault they were here unexpectedly.

"No thank you, but that's nice of you to offer, Zelgadis." she replied. "I'll be fine! We shouldn't be too long, right?"

"I don't expect us to. I just wanted one last look at that wall..." Zelgadis' voice trailed off as he entered the large, familiar chamber, glancing around the dark space. "Something's off..."

"Where is that big column?" Amelia asked. "I don't see it anymore. Wasn't it right in the centre of the room?"

"It was." Zelgadis walked to the centre, bending down to get a better view of the floor. He could make out an uneven patch of rock jutting out from the smooth floor. "It's been blasted away, just like the walls in that one spot in the hallway."

Amelia suddenly looked upward warily, as though she were afraid that, without the support of the column, the ceiling would fall in on them. "I suppose it wasn't a structural necessity, then."

"Of course not. Limestone columns begin as independent stalagmites and stalactites that simply meet in the middle. Blasting it out isn't going to have much effect." Zelgadis replied. "I hope that they haven't done anything to the wall."

His fears were alleviated as he saw that the wall with the Mazoku writing remained untouched. "Thank goodness it's still here." Amelia said with a smile. "But I don't see anything different from some of the other carvings. Why did you want to look at it if you can't read it?"

"I don't need to understand the text to confirm my suspicions. Do you see how well-defined these carvings are? Compare them to the weathered look of the carvings that you remember seeing on the column."

"They do look newer..." Amelia murmured.

"Exactly." Zelgadis nodded. "These carvings can't possibly be 1000 years old. I'd put them at 300- maybe 350 at the most."

"But that's impossible! These ruins have been sealed since the War of the Monster's Fall!" Amelia protested.

"Perhaps to humans," Zelgadis began. "but remember that humans can't create this type of writing. It had to be Mazoku that came here."

"But then that means that..." Amelia's voice trailed off.

"It means that there's more to this wall than the human builders ever imagined. This part of the ruins belongs to the Mazoku race."

* * *

(A/N: It seems that chapters in this particular fic have been consistently shorter than those in my others. What do you think about it? Good, bad, or otherwise?)


	8. Declarations of Love and War

(Good day, all! As per usual, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan having lots of fun writing some fiction- slowly but surely! Please enjoy it!)

* * *

**8- Declarations of Love and War**

"Zelgadis, if the Mazoku race really were here more recently than the ruins were buried, what would they be here for?" Amelia asked, sending another glance at the wall. "Were they trying to leave a message for anyone who might be planning to excavate it?"

"No." Zelgadis shook his head. "Excavation teams would be humans, like us. And humans can't read this language, so it can't have been meant for us."

"Mister Alexandre can read it." Amelia pointed out.

Zelgadis shrugged his shoulders. "Well, you've got to admit, he's a special human."

"Maybe they knew that a special human would be the one doing the excavating."

"Amelia, how would they know that? Mazoku are powerful, but they can't see into the future. You know that. The future isn't fixed, anyway. It could change."

Amelia stared off to the side. She knew the complications that came from attempting divination. It was a common debate, among magical scholars, as to whether the future was fixed or changeable. It was an impossible debate that had lasted for centuries, and the only thing that had been decided, was that fate was a fickle thing that liked to give its secrets to no one.

"But then... if they didn't know that a human who could read their writing would be here... then what were they trying to do? What were they trying to accomplish?"

"I think..." Zelgadis began softly. "...that they were trying to hide something... something... behind this wall..."

He stared at the carvings in the wall, reaching out with one hand to touch the smooth texture of the limestone, but suddenly stopped, frozen in place.

Amelia's body was wracked by a shiver, as she stared at the motionless chimera. "Mister Zelgadis...?" She reached out to touch his arm, but suddenly found that she couldn't move herself. Panicking, she tried frantically to move her arms, her legs, just something! But her muscles were stiff, and refused to move. She stood motionless, unable to do anything.

"Well, well, well..." a cold voice rang out behind them. "What have we here? It seems that the professor's playthings have strayed from their master. Two humans, deep within the confines of this forbidding space? How insolent. You two have some nerve, poking your noses into the business of Mazoku. Don't be so rude- turn around and look me in the eye."

Amelia and Zelgadis felt themselves being turned around, and locked eyes with the Mazoku standing in front of them. She was a tall, thin figure, with eyes like a cat's. Half of her face was covered in an elaborately patterned scarf, and the half of her mouth that was visible was turned up in a crooked smile. She took a step toward them, her boots splashing in a puddle underfoot.

"Wow, just listen to that fear coursing through your blood right now. Unable to move, unable to run- you are in a trap now, aren't you? Tell me, does the professor know that you two are here?"

"Why do you care?" Zelgadis growled through clenched teeth, finding that he could at least talk, now that the Mazoku woman wanted information.

"I simply thought that he would take better care of his pets, rather than letting them run around like a pack of wild dogs. He knows the Mazoku race better than that. He pretends to be diplomatic, you see, but it's all a ruse to cover his intelligent insanity." The Mazoku smiled, her delicate lips splitting to reveal a set of frightening fangs. "With severe mental cases like his, it's the intelligent ones you have to watch out for in the end."

Amelia could barely clench her fist. "What do you mean, 'mental cases?"

The Mazoku laughed. "Oh, please. Don't tell me that he's fooled you. However competent he might seem, whatever sanity he might have had was lost a long time ago. He has learned trickery and deceit, and bends people to his will. You're here doing his bidding, are you not?"

"He's not insane." Zelgadis growled in response. "And he doesn't even know we're here. What is this wall for? What does it do?"

The woman's cruel smile didn't waver. "Ask your professor. He'll know. Meanwhile, I need to get rid of you without incurring his wrath." she paused. "In other words, I must escort you out of here."

* * *

"And then, if you cross that bridge to the left, you will see another one of Seyruun's lesser known attractions- the world's largest rhyolite dachshund statue. It may be the only one in existence, but that ensures that it is the largest, doesn't it?"

Phil's voice droned on as Pestis began to wake up from his brief slumber. He didn't know how long he'd been asleep, but Phil apparently been talking through it all, completely unaware that his audience wasn't conscious to listen. Still, Pestis realised that he must have been asleep a rather long time, in order for Phil to have run out of normal things to talk about, and began talking about strange things- like dachshunds carved out of volcanic rock. Really, who has that much time on their hands, and loves dachshunds that much?

"Who carved it?" Pestis asked, rubbing his eyes wearily.

"Why, no one knows! It showed up at the royal palace one day when my grandfather- the current king's father- was living here. It was a gift for the queen. My grandmother had a great love of dachshunds, you know. She had many of them around the palace."

Pestis blinked. "I... I never knew that..."

So it was true then, that, to be in the Seyruun royal family, a strange and uncommon quirk was a prerequisite? In that case, Pestis decided, a blue-skinned chimera more than easily fit right in- though how much Zelgadis would appreciate the company of his new 'family' was debatable.

"My grandmother was quite interesting! I figure that everyone has one or two family members that are rather eccentric! Wouldn't you say?"

"I agree wholeheartedly." Pestis nodded seriously, though he certainly wasn't sure that Phil could be described as 'normal.' "I have a good friend and relation- don't tell him, but I must agree with the people who claim that he is clinically insane. He is."

Phil let out a hearty laugh. "Ah, but we love our relatives anyway, don't we?"

"I certainly do." Pestis nodded. "Even if he is insane and has poor judgement... family is family."

"Perhaps that's why people are so eager to fall in love. Your family is your family, and you have to love them, but when you find someone you love without being forced to, it's different." Phil began, staring out the window.

There was a moment of silence, and both men sat thinking about similar issues. Pestis finally spoke up.

"Phil, you do approve of Amelia and Zelgadis' relationship, correct? You said so yourself, I believe."

"I did say so, and of course I do. What about it?"

Pestis paused, took a deep breath, and continued. "I haven't known Zelgadis for very long, but in the time that I have known him, I've learned quite a few things about him. He seems like the type who isn't going to make his emotions known to anyone. He's secretive, you know? It's not necessarily a bad thing, but it's never going to get him anywhere with Amelia, no matter how persistent she is. He mentioned that he finds emotions such as love a bother."

Phil nearly flinched. "A-a bother?! How could love ever bother someone?" Phil jumped up, striking a heroic pose, and it was at that moment that Pestis knew he'd made a grave error.

"Phil, I think-" he began, but it was already too late. The Justice Speech was already underway.

"Love is a spring of happiness that wells up in the midst of a cruel and unfeeling world! It brings a sense of belonging to those who need the care and comfort of the companionship that only another human being can provide! It allows people to connect in ways that have never been explored and can breach the unfathomable gap of hatred that shrouds many people in sadness..."

As Phil continued the speech, Pestis stopped paying attention somewhat. He continued his thoughts about Zelgadis and Amelia. Phil eventually wrapped up the speech, and Pestis clapped in response. "Brilliant, your highness, simply brilliant. It moved my spirits. I must say, you are quite adept at the art of delivering speeches."

Phil waved his hands in front of him. "Oh, you're too much, professor! There is no need to flatter me so!"

"But sir, I must!" Pestis continued. "You see, your speech has caused me to come to a startling realisation!"

"And what is that?" the prince asked in confusion.

"That we cannot allow Zelgadis and Amelia to work out their differences on their own! They'll never get anywhere, and it will be a tragedy if that happens! We must work to help them!"

Philionel blinked a few times, staring at the professor. Pestis could feel the man's stare, though he couldn't decipher the expression, as his surroundings appeared blurry without the aid of his spectacles which were lying on the table nearby. "Sir...?" he ventured.

Phil jumped up suddenly, slamming his hand down on the bed with a powerful gesture. "You're absolutely right! As those who enforce Justice, we must work to make sure that these two are able to work out their differences together! I'm sure of it- with the two of us helping them, everything will work out the way it is supposed to!"

"Are you sure about that?" Pestis spoke up. "I just thought that... you probably wouldn't want an unknown man meddling in your daughter's affairs. I mean, you just met me, after all. I could be an insane psychopath for all you know." The professor chuckled slightly.

"I know you're not!" Phil answered. "I trust you, Professor. You aren't insane by any stretch of the imagination! And we won't be meddling in their affairs! We'll just be giving them the little push that they need! We'll be advocates of fate, aiding in the joining of two star-crossed lovers!"

Pestis sighed and nodded, crossing his arms behind his head. "Well then..." he murmured. "We'll have to do a bit more planning... but I'd say that 'Operation Star-Crossed Lovers' is almost ready to go, then."

Phil laughed happily and jumped up. "Perfect!" he declared. "Now... we have the lovers... all we need is a star and a cross, and we'll be ready to go!"

Pestis looked outside the window absentmindedly. "Well... the constellation Cygnus- often called the Northern Cross- should be visible in the night sky this time of year. Is that sufficient?"

Phil was silent for a moment, and then laughed again. "Why, it's fate! It must be! It's a sign that we're doing the right thing! Perfect! Say, Professor, have I told you the story of my grandfather's uncle, and his obsession with astrology? It's quite a tale-"

Pestis groaned inwardly, lying back down on the pillow, bracing himself for another long tale from Phil's endless cache of stories...

* * *

"...escort us out...?" Amelia murmured softly. "You don't mean... out of this world? We won't have that!"

The Mazoku snorted. "Not likely. If I were to harm you, Lord Dynast would have my head- because there's a chance that the professor would destroy him for it. He's so protective of his little playthings..."

"Again with the playthings? We're not his playthings-" Zelgadis began, but suddenly stopped. "W-wait, did you say that Professor Nisery could _destroy_ Dynast?"

The Mazoku rolled her eyes. "Incredible power, wits, and insanity is a dangerous combination. Not that I care about you silly humans, but I'd be wary of allying myself with him if I were you. He's nice to have as an ally, but if he's your enemy... then there is no chance for you."

"What nonsense is that? Mister Alexandre is nice! He's not... some overpowered psychopath like you make him out to be!" Amelia defended.

A look of peaceful bemusement passed over the Mazoku's face. "You just keep thinking that..." she murmured. "Now get going, and tell your professor that Lavi warned you not to set foot in the ruins again. If he has a problem with it, he can take it up... _diplomatically_... with Lord Dynast."

Lavi snapped her fingers, and suddenly Amelia and Zelgadis were surrounded by a blinding light. Without the restrictions on their movements, they shielded their eyes from the light, until their eyes adjusted, and they could see again.

They were outside in the gardens of the palace. Lavi really had escorted them out of the ruins- and far away too.

"Zelgadis...?" Amelia began. "What just happened?"

"That Mazoku declared war on our expedition. That's what." Zelgadis declared angrily. "But we won't go down without a fight, that's for sure."

"But... what she said about Mister Alexandre... was that really true? About him being insane, and being powerful enough to destroy a Dark Lord...?" Amelia ventured.

"Do you really believe her? Those were obviously lies. Pestis is a good guy, and he's totally sane- I'm sure of it." Zelgadis replied. "I trust him."

Amelia nodded slowly. "And I trust you. If you say he's a good guy, I believe you. After all, your word and his word are better than the word of some evil Mazoku."

"But still... I wonder... she spoke of insanity, which I know he doesn't have... but about his power... I don't really know..."

It was a pressing question on Zelgadis' mind the rest of the night.

How strong was Pestis anyway?

* * *

(A/N: Pestis and Phil are both so eccentric, it's fun writing them together.)


	9. The Value of Belief

Hello, all! As per usual, I don't own anything, I'm just a fan writing some fiction! Please enjoy!

* * *

**9- The Value of Belief**

"Hey, Pestis. Are you feeling better than you were this morning?"

Pestis sat up in bed, adjusting his spectacles, looking up at Zelgadis and Amelia with a smile. "Oh yes, actually, I was feeling a great deal better, and was reading a good book. Did you two have fun on your d-" he suddenly cut off his sentence, pausing as though he was about to say something else and corrected himself. "uh, outing?"

Zelgadis frowned, but Amelia didn't seem to catch on. "Oh yes, we had quite a good time! We picked you up a souvenir as well!" She reached into her bag that she'd been carrying, and produced the small bag of coffee beans, handing it to the professor. He fingered it delicately, staring in awe.

"Oh... my... Amelia! How ever did you know that this is my absolute favourite?!" He exclaimed in delight. "I've had it once, and have never been able to find it anywhere! Where did you get it?!"

Amelia smiled. "It was at a cafe here in Seyruun- we went there to eat lunch, and thought we'd pick up something for you. I'm so glad you like it!"

"Like it?! Oh, you guys, this is..." Pestis seemed overwhelmed. "Amelia, I'd hug you right now, but I'm probably still contagious, so I don't want to..." his voice trailed off, and he seemed to look around for a moment, before turning back to the two with a grin. "Zelgadis, could you-"

"Amelia will just have to take a rain check on that, then. You can thank her all you want when you get well again." the chimera quickly interrupted. "If you could be serious for a moment, we have something we'd like to talk to you about."

Amelia looked up in surprise. "Now? But he's still sick, Mister Zelgadis! We shouldn't bother him with this sort of thing!"

"Amelia, it's the sort of thing that he ought to know right away."

"But... it's just..." Amelia stammered.

"Excuse me, Amelia," Pestis interrupted, waving his hand to get their attention. "But you do realise that, now that you've said this much, you HAVE to tell me, right? I'll die of curiosity if you don't!"

"What was that old saying? 'Curiosity killed the cat?" Zelgadis mentioned. "I guess we'd better get to talking, then."

Pestis tried to smooth out the sheets on the bed. "Please, do sit down. I feel terrible, being so comfortable in bed while the two of you are standing!"

"You're so kind, Mister Alexandre." Amelia replied with a smile, sitting down on the bed.

The professor looked uneasy for a moment, running a hand through his hair. "Look… Amelia… if you're so bent on using the honorifics, I suppose you can use them with my nickname. Honestly, 'Alexandre' sounds so stuffy and formal… even if there's a 'mister' before it, I still like 'Pestis' better."

Amelia blinked, seeming a bit confused for a moment, but then nodded.

"O-okay then… Mister Pestis."

"You might want to be careful." Zelgadis spoke up. "If you keep changing what she's supposed to call you, she'll eventually forget."

"I won't forget, Mister Zelgadis!" Amelia defended.

"Just 'Zelgadis." he corrected.

Amelia flushed embarrassedly, and just nodded.

"Zelgadis, you can sit down too." Pestis mentioned.

"I'm fine standing, thank you." the chimera replied. "The conversation is more important anyway. Do you know a Mazoku named Lavi?"

At the mention of Lavi's name, Pestis' face fell. "I do… unfortunately…"

"As of today, so do we." Zelgadis remarked in response. "I take it that she's not exactly an ally of yours?"

Pestis shook his head. "No. She's under Lord Dynast. He and I aren't exactly on good terms."

"What? Why?" Amelia gasped. "You're so sweet and kind, I can't imagine anyone not wanting to be on good terms with you!"

"Well, that's just it. He says that I'm too nice, and it's disgraceful among the Mazoku race. He gets pretty high-and-mighty sometimes. I don't like it…" Pestis muttered. "He has no sense of humour. Not like Lord Beastmaster or Lord Dolphin…"

"Are you friends with all the other Dark Lords besides Dynast?" Amelia questioned.

"No- er, well, not all the Dark Lords are still around, but…" Pestis stammered. "Let's see… I've always gotten along well with Zelas and Dolphin… Gaav and I began on the wrong foot, but we actually started getting along after-" Pestis stopped, and paused, as though he weren't eager to share the event. "er, after something happened that helped us understand one another a bit more- nothing major, or anything." The professor shrugged. "But now he's gone, the poor guy. All because of Phibrizzo…" His voice trailed off with a scowl on his face.

"And… I take it that you don't like Phibrizzo either?" Amelia continued.

"That's an understatement." Pestis spat, with the most irritated look on his face that Amelia and Zelgadis had ever seen. "I _hate _Phibrizzo. At first it was kind of a professional dislike- the friend that I work for had been working with Phibrizzo since before I was born, and they sort of rubbed each other the wrong way. So, since he and Phibrizzo were enemies, that sort of made Phibrizzo and me enemies by default. But I didn't hate him… at least, until he _betrayed_ us."

Amelia's eyes were wide with interest. "Really? What happened?! What did he do?!"

"It's… a long story…" Pestis murmured.

"We've got time!" Amelia assured him.

"But, you probably would find it boring-"

"Oh, I doubt that! I love dramatic stories!"

Zelgadis put a hand on Amelia's shoulder. "If he doesn't want to talk about it, he doesn't want to talk about it. Give him a break. Besides, we've gotten off-subject. We were talking about what Lavi told us in the ruins."

"You went to the ruins?" Pestis gasped. "But I thought you were on an outing in the city all day!"

"We were for most of the day." Amelia replied. "But Zelgadis wanted to look at that wall we saw the other day, and so, after lunch, we went back."

"But Lavi interrupted our little investigation." Zelgadis continued. "Pestis, do you know anything about that wall? It's new- it wasn't built as part of the complex. It's not as old as the rest of the building. I have a feeling that there's something behind it, but we can't read the Mazoku language. Perhaps you could aid us with this- Lavi said something about you knowing what we were looking for."

Pestis grimaced. "She would say something along those lines, wouldn't she?" he sighed. "Well, I can say with certainty that there is nothing behind that wall that you particularly want to see."

"And Lavi wants it?" Amelia questioned. "Is it dangerous?"

"Very."

"Wait, wait, wait. How do you know all of this?" Zelgadis asked. "How do you know about the addition to the ruins?"

"Isn't it obvious, Zelgadis?" Pestis replied, straightening his glasses. "A Mazoku had to have been the one to erect the wall and place whatever is behind it, well, behind it. I would, of course, know all about it."

"But why didn't you mention it before?" Zelgadis asked. "If the Mazoku race is after something like that."

"I didn't KNOW the Mazoku race was after it!" Pestis huffed indignantly. "I didn't know until I met Lavi in the ruins the other night."

"So she was the Mazoku that you met?" Zelgadis calmed down a bit, contemplating it all. "She wasn't very friendly to us, calling us your playthings and other derogatory terms..." his voice trailed off. "She also mentioned something about the possibility that Dynast was in danger from you. I'd have thought it was the other way around- for someone who doesn't practice much Black Magic. How powerful are you really?"

"Zelgadis is right! You've never told us just how much power you have! You must have a great deal, to gain the respect of Mazoku! How powerful are you?"

Pestis looked around awkwardly, and shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. How strong do you guys believe I am?"

Zelgadis blinked. "What?"

"I'm asking you about your beliefs- just how powerful you think that I am. What do you think?"

"Why does that matter?" Amelia asked.

"Princess! You, of all people, should know!" Pestis exclaimed in such an exuberant response that even Amelia was surprised. "The power of a person's belief is a great thing! Believing something puts it halfway to being true! If you truly believe in something, it can happen, no matter the odds!"

Amelia and Zelgadis stared at him, with expressions of awe and scepticism respectively.

"M-Mister Pestis... that was... beautiful..." Amelia sobbed, sounding as though she might burst into tears. "That was so moving! It's so true! Believe in something, and it can be true!"

"Now hold on a minute." Zelgadis stopped them. "That sounds nice, in theory, but honestly, how much of that is true? It's philosophical, but certainly not a true fact."

"Mister Zelgadis, why do you have to be so gloomy? You have to look on the bright side of things!" Amelia scolded, with an expression that showed that the 'Mister' she'd added was not a mistake.

"I'm just saying the truth. Believe doesn't really help people like that."

"I beg to differ, Zelgadis." Pestis spoke up. "Why, you make things happen with just your belief and faith every single day."

"How so?" Zelgadis raised an eyebrow. "I don't recall ever doing that."

"Allow me to elaborate for a moment, if you will." Pestis replied. "Amelia, do you have any coins in your purse? May I see one for just a moment?"

"Certainly." Amelia replied, digging into her bag and pulling out a single gold coin. Pestis examined it for a moment, and then held it up for his two friends to see. "What is this?" he asked, his voice making it obvious that he knew full well what it was, but wanted to make a statement.

"It's a gold coin." Zelgadis replied bluntly. "Where are you going with this?"

"And what can this coin do?"

"We use it to pay for things." Amelia responded, looking confused.

"Why?"

"Because it's GOLD." Zelgadis sounded as though he was getting impatient.

"But why? Why would someone accept something like this in exchange for a much more useful item? After all, it's not good for anything but to be heavy sitting in your pocket all day."

"Gold is a very valuable metal." Amelia responded. "So it could always be melted down and made into something else."

"But why is gold so valuable?"

"Because-" Zelgadis began irritated, but suddenly stopped. He turned to look at Amelia, who shrugged her shoulders in response. "because... it's gold. What more do you want?"

"No." Pestis shook his head. "It's because we believe it has value. Gold has no value unless we believe it does. You believe it does, and I believe it does, and so long as we both believe that, then it is valuable. Whenever we make a purchase with money, it is an exchange of belief between the buyer and the seller. So long as the seller believes that the money he is receiving has value, and the buyer believes that the money he is paying with has value, then a transaction is able to be made, and you have just exchanged something that isn't very useful for something much, much more useful. Get it?"

Amelia and Zelgadis blinked for a moment, comprehending what had just been said. "But..." Zelgadis began.

"Look at it a different way." Pestis continued. "If you tried to pay with a coin that the seller though was counterfeit, then he wouldn't sell you the item. Nothing could be bought because, even if you believed the coin had value, the seller didn't. Therefore, because of his unbelief, the coin lost all its value for the moment. Likewise, with belief, something that has no value can become valuable. Some countries in the Outer World actually use pieces of paper as their currency, because it's easier to carry around, and as long as everyone believes in it, it is just as valuable as any piece of gold."

"That... makes sense." Amelia murmured in response. "I get it!"

"You see, Princess? Anything can happen as long as you believe that it can." Pestis grinned brightly, pressing the coin back into Amelia's hand. "Now... it's getting late, and I believe that you've had a long day. Isn't it nearing the time that you should go to sleep? I'm feeling better, so my plan is to set out again first thing in the morning."

Amelia smiled and nodded, clutching the gold coin and staring at it with a newfound sense of awe. "You're right. Thank you for the speech- I'd never thought of money that way before! It was truly inspirational! I'll see you tomorrow, then!"

Pestis smiled and gave a small wave to her as she left. "Good night, Amelia."

By the time Zelgadis realised what was happening and opened his mouth, Amelia was already out the door. He turned to the professor, a scornful glare on his face. "Well, you did quite a fine job getting the subject off of you, didn't you?"

Pestis blinked. "W-were my intentions that transparent?!"

"Not to Amelia, apparently. So, you really don't want to tell us how strong you are, I suppose." Zelgadis gave a long sigh. "I can respect that."

Pestis smiled. "Really? Oh, thank you. Honestly, I'm not even sure how much power I possess. I've never wanted to use it. But thanks for being respectful. I appreciate it."

Zelgadis nodded. "Well... with Amelia gone, there's not much to discuss. She's an important part of our team, so we'll discuss things tomorrow. Thanks a lot for cutting our conversation short."

"Sorry..." Pestis murmured.

"Nah, it's fine." Zelgadis shrugged. "Just finish getting your rest- we'll have a lot to discuss tomorrow." The chimera walked to the door, frowning pensively. "You know, it was a funny thing... that Mazoku seemed to think that you were insane. I wonder where she got an idea like that."

"Oh, no. She was right. I am."

There was a pause. "E...excuse me?" Zelgadis stammered.

"I am insane." Pestis' expression was completely serious.

Another awkward pause followed.

"Well then... I... uh..." Zelgadis stopped. "Really?"

"Yeah, really."

Another pause.

"You, uh, just seem so, uh... sane..."

"Do you _believe_ that I am sane?" Pestis asked curiously.

"Yes, I do." Zelgadis nodded.

The professor grinned, and waved his finger scoldingly. "Well, then, there's your problem. A person can sometimes have their vision clouded by their own beliefs."

Zelgadis stared at the professor for another moment, before Pestis winked, and waved. "Good night, Zelgadis. You be sure to get some sleep as well! We'll discuss Lavi and our Mazoku problems tomorrow, when Amelia's here."

"Okay." Zelgadis just nodded, and left, shaking his head in total incomprehension.

Every time he thought he had that professor figured out, Pestis threw him for a loop again. What was the guy's problem, anyway?

Zelgadis started to think that maybe he really was insane...

* * *

(A/N: Last year I had to take a required course in Civics and Economics, and though I found most of it boring- I'd been put in a Business Finance elective the previous year in order to make up for a gap in my schedule, so most of the economics were review- I found it really fascinating that money was given value by what I understood as basically being collective belief. It almost felt magical, in a way, and in a class about government, I was pretty much clinging to whatever magic I could find; haha. So that's where Pestis' monologue came from. Fun fact: TheGuineapig3 does not function well in a class studying economics or government.)


	10. Face the Music

Good evening to all! (Or morning, or afternoon… or whatever time it is where you are!) As with all my other stories, I don't claim ownership of everything (except maybe the excessively long and ramble-y author's note at the end... sorry; it's late and I'm tired!), I'm just a fan writing some fiction! Please enjoy!

* * *

**10- Face the Music**

The next morning, Pestis was up with the sun, and just as chipper as ever. It seemed that his illness had completely passed, much to the relief of his fellow explorers. Zelgadis thought back to what the professor has said the night before, and shook it off. He must have been kidding- teasing Zelgadis for merely bringing up the impossible accusation that he was insane. Indeed, Pestis seemed as sane as anyone- even moreso than most people Zelgadis had met. It was impossible that he could really be crazy. Lavi was the crazy one, in any case, and they had to worry about getting her out of their way before doing anything.

When Zelgadis joined his friends for breakfast, they were already busy eating and discussing the plans.

"I want to assess the damage in the room with the column. I want to see just what's been done to it. Had all the rubble of the column been cleared away when you got there?"

"I'm not sure. It was too dark to tell." Amelia replied. She turned around, noticing the chimera's presence behind her. "Oh, Zelgadis! Good morning!"

"G'morning." Zelgadis waved. "So you want to go back to the large room now?"

"Yes, I want to see how the column was destroyed." Pestis nodded. He took a sip of his coffee slowly, and looked up at his friends. "Oh goodness, I just can't thank you two enough for this!"

"It was Zelgadis' idea." Amelia replied with a smile, pointing to her companion.

Zelgadis just shrugged, taking a seat at the table. I'm not ignorant. I know what my friends like."

"You are a wonderful person, Zelgadis." Pestis beamed.

Zelgadis just waved him off. "What I'm interested in is what that wall says, and what it's hiding. There's a secret there, and I want to find out what it is."

"Why don't we just knock down the wall?" Amelia asked.

"First of all, we don't want to be that reckless." Zelgadis replied. "The inscription on the wall might be important, and we can't destroy it before we know what it says."

"Plus the wall has a ward placed on it." Pestis added.

Amelia and Zelgadis suddenly turned to look at him. "A ward?" Zelgadis asked. "How do you know that?"

"I just do." Pestis shrugged. "It's a ward created by a Mazoku, that only a Mazoku can break. Therefore, only Mazoku can access the area behind the wall. Humans aren't supposed to be able to get to it, because of the danger associated with it."

"Dangers?! What's back there?!" Amelia gasped.

"It's... something created by the Mazoku race." Pestis replied, staring into his coffee. "It's dangerous in the wrong hands."

"How do you know this?" Zelgadis demanded.

"I got my information from a source who wishes to remain unnamed among humans." Pestis replied. "But I know who built the wall and stored what is behind it."

"Who's that?" Amelia asked.

"Didn't I just say that he wants to remain nameless among humans?"

"Oh... same person. I understand." Amelia nodded slightly. "But what can we do? With no Mazoku to break the barrier, we don't have any way to get to whatever is in there."

"Well, actually-" Pestis began, but Zelgadis cut him off.

"I get the feeling that the 'Lavi' character we met yesterday is intent on breaking the barrier, and we know that she's a Mazoku. But something tells me we shouldn't be quick to rush into this. Whatever is hidden there, it's dangerous."

"I agree with Zelgadis. Let's not be hasty in trying to get in there. If we can deter the Mazoku who are trying to get their hands on it, then we won't have any difficulties. We're still trying to find a method of curing Zelgadis, remember?" Pestis added.

"I haven't forgotten! I just..." Amelia's voice trailed off. "...we have to defend Justice, and..."

"I know, Amelia. Just be patient." Zelgadis said comfortingly. "We won't let any Mazoku cause trouble. But we need more information first. I'll admit that my cure isn't as important as what we're dealing with now. If this thing is as powerful as you say, it's more important that we keep the Mazoku race away from it."

Pestis nodded silently, and no one spoke for a while. It was a long, pensive silence, in which all the people at the table looked more concerned with their food than with the situation at hand, but they all were busy thinking about their own problems.

"HELLO EVERYONE~!" Phil's booming voice echoed through the room. Amelia smiled brightly, hearing her father's voice, but the reaction was not shared by her friends. Zelgadis cringed, and he saw Pestis flinch instinctively.

"How is everyone doing this morning?!" Phil exclaimed happily. "It seems as though everyone is healthy and cheerful, as it should be!"

"Yeah... really cheerful..." Zelgadis muttered.

Phil sat down beside his daughter, not noticing Zelgadis' sarcasm. "That's good- very good! I assume that you are planning to go back again today?"

"That is the plan." Zelgadis gave a nod. "There's something in particular that Pestis wants to investigate."

"Investigate? So you think it may be something useful to finding Mister Zelgadis' cure?" Phil asked.

The rest of the table was quiet for a moment. They realised that Phil hadn't been informed of the problems they'd faced with Mazoku. The glances they were sending around the table seemed to be asking one another whether or not they should tell him. It might make him worried, and ask Amelia not to go into the ruins- or, in an extreme case, call off the expedition altogether. It was Phil's family's land, after all, and he had the right to do that at any time. Of course, it would be a bad idea, considering the fact that they were trying to keep the Mazoku race from getting their hands on something potentially dangerous, so taking them out of the equation could be potentially disastrous.

"Something important like that, yes." Pestis finally replied with a nod.

"Wonderful! That is a thrilling prospect! Why, my dear Zelgadis, I'm sure that you are positively giddy with excitement!" Phil enthused.

Zelgadis just kept a straight face, wondering if it was even possible for him to be something that could be described as "giddy."

"In any case, I wish you luck." Phil continued, beginning to quiet down. "I hope that everything goes according to plan."

Zelgadis nodded. "I certainly hope so too."

* * *

Even in the dim light, Zelgadis could see curiosity gleaming in the silver eyes behind Pestis' glasses. The small, frail-looking man sat over the place in the large cave chamber where the column used to be.

"So, what's the verdict, Professor?" the chimera asked.

"This column was blasted out of here using magic- Lavi's doing, most likely." Pestis replied. "She didn't do a very good job of cleaning up the rubble- it's all in a pile over in that corner."

Zelgadis and Amelia glanced over to a corner of the room, where, indeed, there was a pile of rocks scattered about the bases of the stalagmites.

"Well, at least it's out of the way." Amelia shrugged. "That's good, right?"

"I suppose." Pestis began to stand up, trying to brush off his knees, which were now rather damp from crouching on the floor. "But the wall still seems untouched. I can tell that she's been trying to break the barrier, but hasn't been having much success."

"Why is that? I thought you said that it was made by a Mazoku, so a Mazoku could break it." Amelia protested.

Pestis walked up to the wall, examining it some more. "Yes, but it's a special barrier that is still difficult to break for all Mazoku except for the one who created it… unless…"

"So Lavi is still having a hard time getting in there, due to the fact that she didn't create the barrier herself, so she's having to figure it out?"

Pestis nodded. "Precisely. It's a very complicated ward- why, if you didn't know exactly how it was built, it could take years to figure out how to break it."

"Then isn't it safe? Why worry about Miss Lavi?" Amelia questioned.

"Because," Pestis replied. "Lavi isn't very bright. I fear that, if she couldn't figure it out, then other, smarter Mazoku might have gotten involved, and they can figure out ways _around_ the barrier."

"Around it?" Zelgadis asked, looking around the cave as if there were other passages that the explorers hadn't discovered. "You mean, via the astral plane?"

"Sort of." Pestis nodded. "You do understand the concept of unreal space being broken if it comes into contact with real space, correct?"

"Yes." Amelia nodded. "We were in a Mazoku-created dimension one time, and Miss Lina used a spell to summon a dove, which got us out of the space. The dove acted as a link from the unreal space to reality, and thus we were transported out."

"That's true only with unstable alternate realities, which are what most created dimensions are. However, it is possible to create an extra dimension that has a support system in the real world, so upon connection to reality, it won't collapse. It's the same concept, though." Pestis nodded. "To enter a portion of unreal, but stable space, one must find a connection between reality and the unreal space. That, of course, would allow anyone to bypass the barrier- human, Mazoku, or otherwise."

"So what's the point of the barrier, then?" Amelia asked.

"Because finding a connection between the real world and the created dimension is nearly impossible." Zelgadis answered, looking to Pestis for a nod of approval before continuing. "We know what kinds of principles the real world works under, because we live in it. But trying to find a point of contact for a dimension that we've never been in is like trying to guess the name of someone you've never met or seen."

Amelia cocked her head to the side. "Like the story of Rumpelstiltskin?"

"Yeah... if you want to think about it that way..." Zelgadis shrugged. "Just, without the convenient hints before the last chance to guess. In real life, no one is just going to stand around and sing about how 'the principles of the mysterious dimension are..."

Pestis giggled at the thought of it. "That would be funny, though. But you're right, no matter how convenient that would be, putting principles of an unknown dimension into a song would be very difficult- how could you ever get it to rhyme?"

"That wasn't really the point..." Zelgadis muttered. "But it doesn't really matter anyway."

"He's right; it doesn't." a faraway voice echoed all the way across the chamber. Pestis, Amelia, and Zelgadis spun around quickly, jumping at the sound. Far above them, a small crevice in the wall had concealed a figure that now leaped down onto the ground with a grin on her face.

"L-Lavi!" Pestis gasped. "H-how long have you been there?!"

"Long enough to hear a good portion of that conversation. You humans are funny. Rumpelstiltskin indeed!" she laughed. "But, more importantly, you've given me a good bit of information. Thanks, Professor!"

"Eavesdropping?!" Pestis gasped. "You know that concealing your presence in order to listen to a conversation not meant for you is very bad diplomatic tactics."

Lavi stuck out her tongue impishly at the professor, and just shrugged. "Who are you to talk about 'diplomacy' if you came in here after I specifically told you not to?"

"Wh-what? I told YOU not to come in here first! That clearly indicates that you are the one who isn't supposed to be here!" Pestis whined.

"If you really didn't want people interfering in these matters, then why did you bring your playthings along for the ride?"

Pestis bristled. "Amelia and Zelgadis are my FRIENDS!"

"Same difference." Lavi shrugged.

"I think... someone has come here looking for a fight..." Zelgadis murmured, pulling out his sword and stepping in front of Pestis and Amelia. "If you're so dead-set on getting your hands dirty, then I can be of assistance. I haven't struck anyone down with my sword in a long time- I might be itching for a fight just as much as you are."

Amelia took a step back, unnerved by the look in the chimera's eyes. She knew that he was just trying to be protective, but it scared her slightly.

Lavi grinned, shuddering in delight as she felt the chimera's anger and defensiveness wash over her. "Oh goodness, I haven't seen this sort of bloodlust in a human in a very long time either. A swordsman, eh? I can't wield a sword, but I can certainly fight against one. Let's try it, shall we?"

"With pleasure." Zelgadis' grip on his sword tightened, and he opened his mouth for the incantation of Astral Vine, but he was suddenly stopped. Pestis jumped in between the chimera and the Mazoku, preventing either of them from moving.

"Now hold on a second, you guys. I'm the one who dragged you into this mess. I think, if someone should be fighting, it should be me."

"M-Mister Pestis!" Amelia gasped, startled. Zelgadis pulled his sword back slightly, and Lavi just laughed.

"You?! Fight?! That's funny! I'm interested now- show me what you can do, Professor!"

Pestis glanced back at Amelia and Zelgadis, gave a quick nod, and stepped forward. He opened his mouth, and for a split second, Zelgadis waited in anticipation to hear what kind spell he might decide to fire, however, when the professor finally began to speak, it wasn't a spell that Zelgadis had ever heard before. In fact, it wasn't a spell at all- and Pestis wasn't even speaking.

He was singing.

Zelgadis could nearly feel his mouth hit the floor. It wasn't just the surprise of not having expected his friend to start singing. It wasn't exactly a song that Zelgadis would listen by choice- some sort of upbeat ditty about sunrises and miracles- but it was Pestis' voice.

Zelgadis wasn't sure he'd ever heard a voice like that before. It was a sweet, melodious baritone voice that no one would ever have expected to come from a person like Pestis, especially if they'd heard him speak. The acoustics of the cavern made the song resonate through the room, and the effects were visible. Lavi's look of displeasure had turned into one of sickly disgust. The song might be disgustingly sweet in Zelgadis' opinion, but to a Mazoku, it could be downright deadly.

Then, something happened that none of them had been expecting. As Pestis began into the second verse of the song, Amelia joined him.

Zelgadis blinked in surprise, and Pestis seemed a little surprised as well. They hadn't realised that Amelia knew this song- though it seemed like one that she would like. Hearing a powerful soprano joining him, Pestis suddenly switched from melody to harmony, turning the song into a duet between the professor and the princess.

That was as much as Lavi could take. As the two reached a bridge, singing something about wishes, Lavi yelled at them to stop.

"Alright, alright! I get it! You don't have to act so smug about it! I'm leaving, and getting back-up now! You've finally attacked, so anything we do can be called self-defence. Watch your backs, humans, and stay out of these ruins and away from that crazy professor if you know what's good for you!" And with those words, the green-faced Mazoku disappeared.

Amelia sighed with a frown. "Oh, I wanted to finish that song..."

"That was incredible!" Zelgadis added, though he was slightly disappointed that he hadn't gotten to fight anyone. "I can't believe it! Pestis, you can sing!"

"Huh?" Pestis seemed surprised by Zelgadis' statement. "Uh... I sing on occasion... I just enjoy it, that's all..."

"No, I mean you're _good_." the chimera clarified. "I've never heard anything like that before. And when you started on that duet with Amelia..."

Pestis smiled. "You should do a duet with Amelia sometime."

"Who, me?" Zelgadis asked. "Oh, no. I don't sing."

"Oh, come now, Zelgadis! Everyone can sing!" Pestis argued, giving the chimera a playful punch on the shoulder.

"I know. I didn't say that I _couldn't_ sing, I said that I _don't_ sing. There is a difference." Zelgadis shot back.

"Don't pressure him too much, Mister Pestis. If he doesn't want to sing, he doesn't have to." Amelia added with a smile. "Though I'm sure that he'd be great at it, if he ever wanted to try."

Pestis leaned up and whispered in Zelgadis' ear "You'd sing a duet with Amelia if she asked, wouldn't you?"

"Be quiet!" Zelgadis sighed, pushing the professor away. It wasn't that he was concerned about Lavi's warnings, but he didn't exactly feel like joking around. "Besides, if you two aren't aware, we've just accidentally made the situation worse."

"Ah, yes." Pestis nodded, adjusting his glasses. "Lavi by herself isn't as much of a threat, but if she goes and gets more experienced back-up, then we're in trouble."

"They still wouldn't be able to break the barrier or get into the alternate space, right?" Amelia asked.

"I would hope not, Amelia." Pestis sighed. "But you never know. Lord Dynast and his subordinates are tricky. There's no telling what they'll come up with. And, in that case, I've got to be prepared to do anything to make sure that they can't get inside."

"Can't you just contact the Mazoku who made the barrier and ask him to make a new one on top of it?" Amelia asked.

"But if they can gain access to the alternate reality by getting around the barrier, then it doesn't matter how many barriers he puts up." Zelgadis pointed out. "The Mazoku could still find a way around them somehow."

"Oh..." Amelia sighed. "Maybe there's a clue as to what we should do written on the wall. What does it say, Mister Pestis?"

"Oh, that wall?" Pestis pointed to the writing. "It just says... 'No entry beyond this point permitted except by permission of the establishment's overseer, by agreement of the 5 Mazoku Lords, 597 A.K."

Zelgadis blinked. "So... it's like the Mazoku's version of an 'authorized personnel only' sign?"

"Well, there's more, of course." Pestis shrugged. "Just a little note that goes 'do not enter, lest you wish to bring destruction, not upon the world, but upon yourself."

The group was silent for a moment, until Amelia spoke up timidly. "Is... that true?"

Pestis gave her a serious stare in reply.

"Yes."

* * *

(A/N: When I was writing this chapter, waaaay back in the spring, I was in a musical at my school- that never did make it to stage, because only about 3 of us ever learned our lines- and I decided to take my favourite song from the musical and have Pestis sing it. If anyone can even figure out what song it is from the few, very vague hints I threw in there [and it's not meant to be a duet; it's a solo song], you get some serious points, haha. Anyhow, I really like to think that Pestis has this amazing singing voice that he never really shows anyone… when I think of his singing voice, I think Brad Kane for some reason. I think he might be considered a tenor, though... I'm an alto who's sung tenor for my choir a couple times, and can hit most of his notes in the duet for 'A Whole New World.' Pestis is supposed to be baritone. Why do I even think about these things? I'm sitting here, singing along to the _Aladdin _soundtrack when I should be writing. I'm so weird. ^^;)


	11. Much Ado About Something Mysterious

Hello everyone! I hope that all of you had a Merry Christmas! I suppose that my gift to you will be a long chapter! Yay! (Oh, don't look so disappointed. At least let me believe that it's a nice present...) As per usual, I don't own anything, I'm just a fan writing some fiction! Do enjoy, and I hope you've all had a wonderful holiday season!

* * *

**11- Much Ado About Something Mysterious**

"Y-yes? It's true? Destruction upon whoever enters?!" Amelia choked in a high-pitched whine.

"No." Pestis shook his head. "Just on whoever abuses power sealed within here. I'm sure that you and Zelgadis would be in no danger."

Amelia sighed in relief. "Oh, good. I was worried for a moment."

Pestis waved his hand, as though trying to dispel his friend's doubts. "Don't be afraid. I'd never have allowed you two to even come _in _here if I thought this would be a danger to you."

"So, it's only a danger to those who use it for evil?" Amelia asked.

"Precisely." Pestis nodded.

Zelgadis frowned and looked over at the professor. "Define 'evil."

"…what?"

"I said, define 'evil." Zelgadis replied. "What would you consider evil? It isn't exactly something that's easy to define."

The professor looked around and shifted uncomfortably. "Well… uh… I don't know. I think it's the object's decision, not mine. If it thinks that someone is using if for what it considers to be 'evil,' then it will overtake the user."

"Y-you mean that this… _thing… _has a consciousness?" Amelia gasped.

"Well, not really, but they are powerful enough to respond to their environment… somewhat…" Pestis murmured. "All in all, I'd advise staying away from it."

"But can we, now that there are Mazoku involved?" Zelgadis asked. "If they are doing something dangerous, then we need to-"

"No." Pestis answered firmly. "I will take care of the Mazoku. You and Amelia need to stay out of this and away from these ruins."

Zelgadis and Amelia stared at him for a moment. Amelia took a step back in shock. "B-but… Mister Pestis-"

"My mind is made up, Amelia. I'm sorry."

"But what about Zelgadis' cure?!" Amelia demanded. "Surely you didn't lead him this close only to deny him the ability to get the information he wants?!"

"I didn't say that!" The professor took a long, deep breath, and exhaled slowly. "I will allow you to return to these ruins when it's safe. Until then, you just can't be here. I'm sorry."

"But we can defend ourselves! You just saw how Amelia helped you scare away that Mazoku! Let us help! We've had experience with fighting Mazoku, and we-"

"I said _no_, Zelgadis. I told you that my mind is made up." Pestis' expression was stern. "Let's get out of here. I'm going to come back tomorrow and see if I can talk things out with Lavi and her superiors diplomatically. If I can't, then I'll have to use force, and I _don't _want the two of you around for that." He sighed, his countenance softening. "Please trust me. You're my friends, and I don't want you getting hurt."

Zelgadis and Amelia glanced at each other. "…but you're our friend, and we don't want you having to deal with this alone." Zelgadis finally replied.

"I've faced much worse. Don't worry about it." Pestis turned away from them and headed toward the doorway of the tunnel. "Why don't we just go back to the palace now?"

"But it's barely past midday-"

"You can use the rest of the day to get practice with some of the ancient languages that the books would be written in. Why not brush up on your Old Seyruun?"

Pestis was insistent that they get out of the ruins as fast as possible, and so, Zelgadis and Amelia had no choice but to acquiesce. They didn't like what was going on, but there didn't seem to be any changing Pestis' mind.

* * *

"Our investigation of the ruins has hit a minor snag." Pestis spoke, addressing Philionel and Clawfell, along with some of the other members of the royal court.

"A snag?" Phil asked in concern. "What's wrong?"

"It seems as though one of the rooms has been vandalised. We are not sure of the cause, or how long ago it was done, but I need to look into the matter further. In the meantime, I am restricting access to the ruins. I will be doing some investigating into the vandalism, to assess the damage and figure out what the danger is, and will report back with my findings. I'm encouraging my teammates Mister Zelgadis and Princess Amelia to do some research on the archaic languages of the area while the ruins are closed off."

Zelgadis frowned as he listened to Pestis' speech. He didn't like to be left out of something like this when he was already so involved in it.

The men at the table glanced at each other. "Vandalism?" one questioned.

"This can't be true."

"Who would know about these ruins?"

"I don't like the sound of this."

Phil banged his hands on the table, trying to quiet the group. "Now, now, everyone! Let's not get carried away! I'm sure that it isn't a big deal- I trust thoroughly that Professor Nisery can take care of it!"

Pestis bowed. "Thank you, your highness. It is my personal mission to make this as fast as possible, so that the excavation can continue as planned."

No one seemed to be able to argue with the man's professional attitude, though they didn't look exactly happy with it. However, Philionel stated firmly that he trusted the professor to do what was in the best interest for the excavation project, and gave his approval to close off the ruins until further notice.

Zelgadis approached Pestis in the library that afternoon, not happy at all about the circumstances.

"Why did you lie to all those people back there?!"

The question was abrupt and out of the blue, and caused Pestis to jump, looking up from his book in surprise. "Excuse me? What?"

"I asked why you lied to everyone." Zelgadis stated, taking a step toward the professor, as though trying to loom over him.

"Lied? I don't know what you mean? I didn't lie."

"All of that about vandalism?"

"It wasn't a lie. Lavi did vandalize the place."

"But you didn't once mention Mazoku!"

"I didn't think I had to." Pestis murmured. "If I did, there'd be chaos and mass hysteria. That's exactly what I don't want. I'm going to get this figured out, and I don't want people getting involved that don't need to be."

"But Amelia and I are already involved. Why cut us out of this?"

"Because I don't want you getting hurt…" Pestis sighed. "Listen- the problem with this situation is that the object within this dimension is far more dangerous than you could imagine. It's complicated, but I'm inexplicably bound to this dimension and the objects contained within it. I don't want my dear friends to be hurt because of me. That's why I'm asking that you and Amelia stay out of this."

Zelgadis scowled. "You're not asking, you're demanding! You can't just order us around! If you were really our friend, you'd give us a choice!"

Pestis stood up and approached Zelgadis. "Listen." he stated curtly. "I know that, if I give you the choice, you're going to choose to come with me. That's why I can't do that."

"Why are you so obsessed over us getting hurt?!" Zelgadis demanded angrily. "You can't possibly think that we're _that _defenceless-"

"I _don't_." Pestis interrupted, staring Zelgadis with an unwavering expression. "Zelgadis, listen to me. I've seen people that I care about hurt, all because of me and what I do. I will _not _allow that to happen to you and Amelia."

The professor turned on his heels and grabbed the book he had been reading as he left the library in a huff. Zelgadis watched him go, unable to follow after him. It felt as though the tension in the air had become impossible to break free of, and he was trapped within it.

After a few minutes, the chimera pulled himself away from the library and went up to his room. He was furious with the professor for treating them like children. Just because he and Amelia were a good deal younger than he was did not give the man sufficient reasoning to order them around like little kids! The chimera lay awake for a short while, running a stone hand through his wiry hair and brooding about the absurdity of it all.

For the first time since he had come to Seyruun earlier that week, Zelgadis had gone to bed angry.

* * *

Amelia hadn't exactly been happy about Pestis' restriction, but she decided that, if he thought it was for the best, and her father agreed, then she wasn't in any place to argue. She was sleeping quite peacefully, content with the thought of spending some time in the library with Zelgadis for the next few days, when someone knocked on her door.

She sat up wearily, rubbing her eyes, wondering if what she'd heard was real or a dream. She slipped out of bed and approached the door warily, pulling it open just a crack.

She pulled it open the rest of the way once she caught a glimpse of the person behind it. "Z-Zelgadis! What are you doing here?"

It was the middle of the night, but the chimera was fully dressed, with the hood of his cloak up as though he were planning to go somewhere. He didn't waste any time getting to the point.

"Get dressed. We're going back to the ruins."

Amelia blinked, wondering if she'd heard him correctly. "Um… excuse me?"

"I said that we're going to the ruins." Zelgadis continued. "Put some warmer clothes on."

"B-but… but…" Amelia stammered. "I don't understand… Mister Pestis said that it was off-limits because it was too dangerous… and Dad even agreed to restricting access… so I didn't think we were supposed to go…"

Zelgadis shifted, looking slightly embarrassed, realizing that he'd jumped to the assumption that Justice-hero Amelia would be practically demanding to join him as soon as he mentioned his goal. "…I just assumed that you'd want to come. If you don't want to, that's alright. I'm still going, but I figured that I'd at least give you the option… Sorry if I bothered you." He turned around as if to leave, but Amelia stopped him.

"Wait! Zelgadis! I-I'm coming! Just give me a moment to get dressed!"

He continued to stand in the hallway as she closed the door and then reappeared a few minutes later, fully dressed in her travelling clothes and cloak. "Alright, I'm ready!"

"Shhh." Zelgadis put a finger to his lips. "We've got to stay quiet. We can't let people know we're leaving."

"Why in the world are we sneaking out in the first place? What are we going to do, exactly?" Amelia asked. "Mister Pestis said that he was going to try and take care of things peacefully, didn't he?"

Zelgadis pulled Amelia to the side, since he hadn't fully explained the situation to her. "I know that Pestis is going to try to work diplomatically, but, after all I've been through with Mazoku, I get the feeling that these Mazoku are after something very specific. In that case, I want to know exactly what it is, so that we can back-up Pestis as much as possible. He may be powerful, but he deserves our support."

"Then why don't we support him during the day, when he's actually going to be working?" Amelia asked. "He won't even be there in the middle of the night."

"Because he won't let us! He's so stubborn, and won't listen to reasoning!"

Amelia put a finger to her lips. "We've got to stay quiet. We can't let people know we're leaving." she repeated.

"Sorry..." Zelgadis murmured sheepishly. "But I just can't stand being treated like a child. There is important information in those ruins, and those Mazoku have no business being there. I want to get to the bottom of this, and talking it over with Pestis is not working! We won't let anyone know we were there- we'll just do some digging into the information, and then leave."

Amelia gave a disappointed nod. "I see. As much as I want to encourage peaceful and diplomatic actions, I know that, if no action is taken, it will only lead to more destruction, and perhaps bloodshed. I'll help you in any way that I can."

"I knew I could count on you, Amelia."

The princess blushed and smiled brightly at his comment. "You can always count on me, Zelgadis."

He nodded, and turned to continue down the hallway. It wasn't exactly the reaction that Amelia had been hoping for, but it was enough for her. She continued after him, eager to help out in defeating the Mazoku and saving her country and its legacy.

* * *

Even though there was no differentiating night and day when deep underground, the cavernous ruins still had an eerie feeling to them as Amelia and Zelgadis made their way deep into the ground.

"Are we going back to the room with the wall?" Amelia asked.

"No, I don't think that's a good idea." Zelgadis shook his head, pointing in the other direction. "Let's see if we can find some more of those caches of books. There must be some information on the ruins themselves. The builders wouldn't have left out their own history when stocking this library."

Amelia gave a nod, and followed after him. The two found their way back down the hallway toward the first room of books that they had discovered, back on their first day of excavating.

They spent most of the night poring over the books that were written in familiar dialects- which weren't many. Writing down what they could, the pair managed to create a list of notes, detailing any information that they could find about the history of the complex.

After about 4 hours of working, they had come up disappointingly short.

"I managed to find a book about the drainage system." Amelia offered. "It was a rather archaic dialect, but I was able to get the gist of what it said. Nothing helpful, but certainly some interesting information. How about you?"

"Oh, just some information about the limestone caves of the area and their usage in magical rituals." Zelgadis shrugged. "I thought it might have some good information, but it was a lot I've already read before."

"And… nothing about unmaking chimeras?"

Zelgadis paused, looking back down at his notes. "I… uh… wasn't paying much attention to that."

"Really?"

"Well, I figured that learning what the Mazoku are up to is more important right now than my cure. That can come later."

Amelia smiled at him. "That's a very Just opinion, Zelgadis. I'm impressed. Just don't short-change yourself, okay?"

"Oh, believe me, I _won't. _As soon as those Mazoku are out of here, I'm searching this place up and down for everything it has about chimeras. But… Mazoku come first."

Amelia nodded.

* * *

From that night on, they kept up a very solid routine. Every day, they were collecting books and studying the old languages that were kept in the libraries, and every other night, the two would run off to the ruins, along with some of the language books from the Seyruun library, to do some more studying. They couldn't bring the books from the ruins back to Seyruun with them because the old books would probably disintegrate if taken out of the cool, damp conditions in which they'd been sitting for a thousand years. And, of course, if anyone discovered the book, they'd know that Zelgadis and Amelia had been snooping around the ruins when they weren't supposed to.

It had been a few weeks, and despite Pestis' assurance that he was working with diplomatic issues as fast as he could, he still denied them entrance to the ruins every time they asked. The whole issue with the Mazoku seemed to be taking its toll on the professor, and he didn't want to talk about it. He was happy chatting with Amelia and Zelgadis about anything else, and the three had some enjoyable conversations together, sitting in the library or out in the courtyard, sharing coffee and tea.

Amelia and Zelgadis felt guilty of course- Pestis was more than nice to them, treating them almost like family, and they were disobeying his orders behind his back and keeping that secret from him. If he noticed their discomfort, however, he didn't say anything about it. He simply kept a smile on his face, and continued his persistent, almost obsessive nudging of Zelgadis toward Amelia.

Zelgadis just cringed and bore with it, hoping that Amelia was still oblivious toward the whole deal. Even Philionel seemed to be in on Pestis' little matchmaker scheme, and as much as it bothered Zelgadis, he didn't have the heart to call them out for working against him behind his back. Not as long as he and Amelia were working against Pestis behind his back, at least.

On their seventh trip to the ruins, Zelgadis approached Amelia's door and gave a light knock. They'd worked out a code of sorts to make sure that Pestis didn't find out about their secret research. Amelia usually appeared at the door right away, but it took her a minute this time.

"Hey," she whispered, opening the door. "I still have some books to get together to bring. You can come in if you want."

Zelgadis stepped in, closing the door behind him. The room was smaller, and a bit less embellished than he had imagined. A few of Amelia's things were displayed around, but for the most part, it was fairly generically furnished. Zelgadis sat down in an armchair in one corner.

"Your room is a little more… uh… plain than I'd imagined."

"This is just my room in the palace that I use when I'm working on important diplomatic things, or when I have guests and I need to be here for convenience. I usually stay in the priestess' quarters when there's nothing important going on. Though, it's been nice to stay here while you and Mister Pestis have been here. This room has a lovely view."

Zelgadis blinked, a little confused. "That sounds kind of complicated."

Amelia chuckled sheepishly. "Being a princess and a priestess is complicated."

The chimera gave a sigh, staring over at her. "And, on top of that, we make you save the world on a regular basis. That's pretty crazy."

"Oh, no! It's not like that at all!" Amelia jumped up onto the bed, striking a heroic pose. "It is my duty, as a Warrior of Justice! A true, noble princess can't just sit around and hope to get rescued like the ones in the books. We have to be capable of rescuing ourselves!"

To his- and Amelia's- surprise, Zelgadis actually began to laugh.

"H-hey! What's so funny?!"

"I'm not laughing at you! It's just that the Seyruun royal family is very… unorthodox." Zelgadis replied. "I like that."

Amelia smiled. "Well, we like you too, Zelgadis. You, Miss Lina, Mister Gourry, Miss Sylphiel… you guys are just like family to us."

Zelgadis smirked. "Won't Lina be happy to hear that?"

Amelia frowned, almost pouting, but Zelgadis just continued talking.

"If I may change the subject… something's been bothering me lately."

Amelia blinked. "You mean about the ruins?"

The chimera gave a nod. "Have you noticed... that, in the two weeks that we've been sneaking over there, we haven't seen a single Mazoku?"

"Of course. It's a little odd, isn't it? I mean, if they wanted to sneak around the ruins, it would be easier to do it when Mister Pestis isn't there. Otherwise, he'd know about it."

"Right," Zelgadis added. "though the Mazoku aren't after the libraries."

"Well, of course not. The libraries were created by humans, right?"

"Right, but the thing is, _we're _in the libraries."

"So? That's your point, isn't it?" Amelia was a little confused by the logic. "You're saying that it makes sense that we haven't seen any Mazoku lately because we're in the libraries, and they're not after the libraries, right?"

"Yes, but I'm just surprised that the Mazoku aren't after _us_." Zelgadis clarified. "If we're underground doing research every other night, there's no way that any Mazoku in the ruins could possibly_ not_ notice- in which case, my assumption would be that they would pursue us because we might be interfering with their goals."

"So, why haven't we seen any?" Amelia asked.

"That's what I'm worried about." Zelgadis sighed. "If they're not attacking us, they have to be doing it for some sort of reason. It makes me suspicious."

"Aw, Zelgadis," Amelia leaned on the back of the chair, grinning at him. "everything makes you suspicious."

"I exercise caution because experience has taught me to do so!" Zelgadis defended. "It's not my fault that my experiences have taught me not to trust anyone!"

There was a long pause, and the two stared at each other. Amelia leaned over the back of the chair and draped her arms over his shoulders.  
"You can trust me." she whispered.

Zelgadis sighed, and places his hand over hers. "Thank you, Amelia. ...I do trust you."

Amelia smiled brightly, and was about to speak again, but Zelgadis got up from the chair and motioned toward the door.

"If you've got your books together, we might as well not waste time."

"Oh, right." Amelia nodded, grabbing the books from the desk and following after him.

"And, I doubt that we'll see any Mazoku , if we haven't already, but... just be on your guard, okay?"

"Of course! I can take care of myself!" Amelia exclaimed.

Zelgadis rolled his eyes, but couldn't keep from smiling. "Boy, do I know that..."

* * *

(A/N: This is where things start to get good; at least, I think… hah… _It took you until chapter 11 to get to the good part? What's wrong with you, GP3? _Ah, well! I have to say, though, one of the Christmas gifts I received this morning was a nice surprise- well, they were all nice surprises- but it was a DVD of the movie I saw in theatres almost exactly a year ago, which inspired me to write this story. It's kind of funny to think that a simple idea created in a movie theatre a year ago is now a story that actual people are reading and enjoying. …oh, don't give me that. At least let me think people are enjoying it. Let an author have her fantasies on Christmas. ^^; Thank you all so much for reading!)


	12. Mistakes and Misconceptions

Hello to all! Here is chapter 12- and just as in the first 11 chapters, I don't own anything. I'm just a fan having some (lots!) of fun writing some fiction. Do enjoy! ^_^

* * *

**12- Mistakes and Misconceptions**

The next morning came bright and early, especially for those who'd been out all night doing research. Zelgadis was content to sleep in as long as possible, but a knock on his door managed to drag him out of bed.

"What d'you want?" he grumbled, opening the door, expecting either Amelia or Pestis.

It wasn't. It was some sort of palace worker he'd never met before.

"Mister Greywords...?"

"Er, yes? What is it?"

The young woman wrung her hands nervously. "Um... Prince Philionel wishes to see you... and he's not happy."

Zelgadis paused, and then simply nodded. "Right. Give me a minute."

He closed the door and grabbed his cloak from off the bedpost. Why in the world would Philionel be angry at him? Did he somehow know that they were sneaking out to the ruins? Was the prince angry at him for disobeying Pestis' orders- or worse, for dragging his beloved daughter into a potentially dangerous situation? For all Phil knew, after all, those ruins could be swarming with Mazoku. Was it just a hunch on the part of the prince, or had someone actually observed them leaving the palace? What excuse could he give? What if Phil threatened to tell Pestis? Or did the professor already know?

Zelgadis exited the room and followed after the palace worker. He tried to tell himself that there were all manner of things that Phil could be angry about, and that the possibility that it was the ruins was quite small. But, when you've been keeping a secret for a long time, it's difficult not to be anxious over the possibility of someone discovering it.

Prince Philionel was in his study, working on some sort of paperwork when Zelgadis was ushered in. He tried to give his best confused-poker-face, as though he didn't know what in the world all of this was about.

"You… wanted to see me?" the chimera asked.

Philionel took a deep breath and drew himself up to his full height, glaring down at Zelgadis with an angry glint in his eyes that the chimera had never seen before. It was positively chilling, though not enough to break Zelgadis' composure. Almost nothing was.

After another deep breath, the prince spoke. "…Where were you last night?"

Zelgadis' stomach lurched, but his outward countenance didn't waver. If there was anything he'd learned about keeping secrets, it was _deny everything_.

"Last night? I don't know what you're talking about. I was asleep."

"Don't give me that! I asked you where you were. Tell me straight."

"I told you, your highness, I was asleep." It wasn't a lie, after all. He had gotten an hour or two of sleep before he and Amelia snuck off to the ruins.

"Are you sure? You don't sleepwalk, do you? Because… I have been told that you were out _visiting_ last night."

'Visiting?' That was a strange term to use for going out and doing forbidden research. Just what did Phil mean by that? Zelgadis arched an eyebrow in confusion and answered truthfully. "I don't understand what you're talking about."

Phil sighed, sounding slightly exasperated. "One of my advisors told me this morning that he had observed you paying a visit to my daughter at… odd hours. Tell me; what purposes would you have for being in Amelia's room in the middle of the night?"

Zelgadis blanched in shock. No wonder Phil was so angry! This had nothing to do with the ruins- it was about Amelia!

"S-sir, I know how this must look, but the thing is-"

"So you _admit_ to visiting Amelia last night?!"

"I never said _that_!"

"But you _were _sneaking around the palace in the middle of the night?"

"W-well…" Zelgadis was stuck. On one hand, he could admit to sneaking out to the ruins, and ask Phil politely not to tell Pestis. However, that might be frowned upon by the Justice-obsessed prince, and could backfire on Zelgadis by having Pestis informed anyway. And, if that happened, then the professor would surely take even more measures to keep Amelia and Zelgadis out of the ruins, which they didn't want.

But there had to be some way out of this.

Zelgadis closed his eyes and sighed. "What, exactly, did this advisor tell you that he saw?"

Phil looked somewhat indignant that Zelgadis would ask, but answered anyway. "He said that he was awakened in the middle of the night by his pet, and he simply stepped out of his room to get a glass of water for himself and a small treat to quiet the dog. On his way back, he saw you at Amelia's door; that she opened it and let you in. This alarmed him, so he felt the need to tell me. What exactly do you have to say about that?"

Well, Zelgadis couldn't exactly say that it was a lie- that _was _what had happened, though it had been misconstrued as having completely different intentions. He was about to say something, but was interrupted by a voice from the doorway of the study.

"Did he see me there? Because I was there too!"

The voice was unmistakable, but Phil and Zelgadis both turned to confirm its identity anyway.

"Professor Nisery?"

"_Pestis_?!"

The professor scooted into the room, closing the door behind him. "I have to apologise- it seems that I've gotten poor Zelgadis into a spot of trouble! This is my fault- I told him not to tell you about our meeting last night."

Zelgadis was completely lost by Pestis' story, but Phil seemed to be buying it, and Pestis was shooting him a look that said 'play along!,' so he did.

"You just… said that it was so important, that I didn't want to…" Zelgadis stammered, trying to sound convincing.

"I know, I know… but not so important as to risk smearing your reputation." Pestis assured him, and turned back to Philionel. "You see, Zelgadis, Amelia, and I had to meet last night in order to discuss some diplomatic issues concerning the recent vandalism in the ruins and the measures which have been implemented to prevent further tampering with the historic artefacts. We didn't want to tell anyone before a final consensus had been reached, as this is still an in-progress negotiation, and we don't want to alarm anyone. I'm so sorry for the confusion, your highness. And I'm especially sorry to Zelgadis, for making him almost have to make a decision on whether to reveal information he wasn't supposed to let them know, or allow someone to assume something he didn't want them to assume."

Zelgadis sent a wary glance at Pestis, suddenly wondering why the professor was sticking up for him, and what he really knew.

Phil stared at Pestis for a moment, and then finally sighed. "Well, I believe I understand the circumstances… however, couldn't you have at least spoken about it to me? Otherwise, things like this can happen."

"I know. I'm sorry. I won't let it happen again, I promise. I'll keep you updated on all new developments." Pestis bowed respectfully, and Zelgadis took that as a cue to do so as well. Phil put a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm very sorry to have jumped to conclusions. I should have trusted you, Zelgadis."

"It's alright; I can see how you might have jumped to that conclusion without other knowledge. Just know that you really don't ever have to worry about anything like that, I promise." the chimera tried his best to sound convincing- Phil really _didn't_ have to worry about that, after all, and he needed to know it.

"Alright, then. The two of you are dismissed. I apologise for the mix-up."

Pestis waved at Phil as he dragged Zelgadis along with him. "No worries your highness- it's our fault. We'll make sure it doesn't happen again."

Zelgadis followed Pestis down the hallway. As soon as they were out of hearing range, the professor spoke up again.

"Boy, that was close! Good thing I showed up when I did!"

Zelgadis sighed, figuring he'd have to face the professor about it sooner or later. "Yeah… thanks for that. But why in the world were you defending me like that?"

"C'mon, Zelgadis! I'm your friend! I've got your back." Pestis grinned at him.

"…meaning…?"

Pestis lowered his gaze. "Oh… just that you and Amelia really ought to find somewhere less conspicuous next time…" He elbowed the chimera, grinning impishly. "…y'know, like, a closet or something."

"_Professor_!"

"What? I'm just saying! I was young and in love once too, you know." Pestis chuckled, staring off into space dreamily. "Ah, those were the days… Of course, we were already married before I went visiting her in the middle of the night or anything, but romance these days is far different than it was when I was-"

"Alright, I _think _you've made your point." Zelgadis growled, not wanting to hear another word of Pestis' spiel. "Listen… well… the thing is…"

Pestis turned back around to Zelgadis. "What is it?"

"Er… it's…" Zelgadis attempted to say something else, but failed. "It's nothing. Just… thanks for backing me up. I appreciate it."

Pestis smirked. "Don't thank me. Just be sure not to get caught again."

* * *

"…what _could _I have told him?!" Zelgadis sighed in exasperation. "I'm starting to wonder if this whole mess is really a good idea."

Amelia sighed. "This is a troublesome situation indeed."

"I wonder if we should just stop- we're not getting anywhere with these books. We're having a tough time enough just translating them so that we can understand them, and even then, it's often not the information we're looking for. Perhaps we should just let Pestis handle this the way he wants to-"

"Zelgadis! Do you even _hear _yourself?!" Amelia jumped up, determination burning in her eyes. "You want to give up when we're so close? You're just going to abandon Mister Pestis when he still needs our help and won't admit it?! What happened to your sense of Justice?"

"I never had a sense of Justice." Zelgadis scowled. "I thought you'd realized that."

Amelia grabbed his hands. "That's not true! I knew from the moment that I first saw you, that you had a heart full of Justice!"

"No you didn't." Zelgadis smirked. "I believe that you said something quite contradictory to that, in fact."

Amelia let go of his hands and backed away a few feet. "Well… I mean… after I got to know you a little, I knew…"

"Ah, so that's how it is? I think it was after you got to know me a _lot_."

"Would you just listen to my idea?!"

"Oh, you planned to present an idea at the end of this Justice speech? That's refreshing."

"Zelgadis!" Amelia glared down at him. "I can't tell if you're really belittling me, or just teasing, but whatever it is, it's rude when I'm being serious and our lives are in danger!"

Zelgadis gave a look of mock guilt, holding his hands up. "Sorry, sorry. I'll stop teasing. What is your idea, anyway?"

"Clearly there is a problem with the Mazoku here. Mister Pestis wants them out, but I get the feeling that they're being sneaky and not showing their faces for a reason. Going about it the roundabout way that we have is fine, if we could find the evidence we're looking for, but because we're at a loss, the only thing to do is to go after the Mazoku ourselves. We must bring them to Justice our own way!"

"Oh?" Zelgadis grinned. "The pacifistic Amelia, wanting to pick a fight with Mazoku?"

"Sometimes fights are necessary to achieve the greater good." Amelia crossed her arms in defence. "I just want to do everything I can to protect the people of Seyruun."

Zelgadis got up and began pacing back and forth. "I like this idea… it's a bit direct, but I'm tired of waiting around. I've been rummaging through libraries for years, and, quite frankly, it gets old sometimes."

"Oh?" Amelia gave a grin in reply. "The studious Zelgadis, getting tired of libraries?" She stared directly at him, and then began laughing. "Sorry, sorry. I'll stop teasing."

"Alright; I get it." Zelgadis waved her off. "If you're so sure about this, I'm up for it. I'd like to teach whatever Mazoku is doing this a lesson, and figure out just what is hiding behind that wall. Tomorrow night, instead of wasting our time with these ancient libraries, we'll just go to that room instead. If we can lure the Mazoku out, then we'll be able to talk to them- and fight them." He paused and looked down at Amelia. "It'll be dangerous."

"Come on, Zelgadis! Do you doubt that I can take care of myself at this point?" Amelia asked, her arms crossed in indignance.

The chimera sighed, and shook his head.

"No. Not in the slightest."

* * *

The next night, it was decided that Amelia would be the one meeting Zelgadis in his room, hopefully to avoid any suspicion. They didn't need that problem on top of everything else that was going on.

The princess didn't like to keep people waiting, so she was at the door promptly on time, mimicking the signature knock that Zelgadis had come up with.

"Are you ready to fight some Mazoku?" he asked, opening the door for her.

"Er, yes; but can I come in and talk to you first?" she replied, not waiting for an answer to enter the room. Zelgadis didn't stop her, but stared at her for a moment, and then looked around in the hallway.

"That's what got us in trouble last time, if you remember correctly."

"Don't worry; there's no one out there. I checked." Amelia sighed, and sat down on the bed, allowing herself to fall backwards.

"Amelia, what are you doing?"

"I'm tired." she murmured, closing her eyes.

"If you're tired, then we'll call off the Mazoku hunt tonight. Go back to your room and get some sleep. We can't have you trying to fight Mazoku when you're-"

"What I'm _tired of_," Amelia continued, cutting him off. "is this sort of over-defensive attitude you have about me. Why is it that you have to ask me about my well-being every time our situation changes ever-so-slightly?"

"You're part of our expedition, Amelia. I don't want anything to happen to a colleague during a delicate operation like this." Zelgadis said. "Besides, your father has entrusted Pestis and me with your well-being, and I can't let him down. He's the prince of a country, for goodness' sakes!"

Amelia sat up and stared at the chimera sceptically, resting her chin in her hands. "Zelgadis, what do you think of me?"

"I think you really _are_ tired."

"But…" Her glare had an edge to it, like she was trying her best to convince him to reply seriously. "what do you _really _think of me?"

Zelgadis sighed helplessly; there seemed to be no way get out of it. He might as well answer her straight. Sitting down beside, her, he ran his fingers through his hair as he tried to think.

"You're a very intelligent person, Amelia, even if your naiveté masks it most of the time. I've seen you be extremely foolhardy, rushing into danger when you shouldn't have, and with reckless abandon, no less. But I've also seen you exhibit extreme feat of bravery- true bravery, when you stand up against your enemies, even though you're scared. I respect that."

Amelia looked intrigued, if not completely satisfied with the answer that Zelgadis was giving, as he continued on. It wasn't exactly blind praise, but for Zelgadis, it was nice to at least hear some good things.

"You have a very odd sense of suspicion, and are trustful of people you probably shouldn't trust, and suspicious of people for the wrong reasons. You really do have a good sense of judgment, it's just buried down under your compilation of stereotypes. You have a strong sense of Justice, which is both good and bad- you fight for what is right, but you also use it as an excuse to judge others, which doesn't seem very just to me. You have an exuberant personality which serves you well as a princess, but can sometimes get tiresome as a friend. Honestly, I think your incredible White Magic skills, and your friendly personality make you indispensible as a travelling companion, and that perhaps, with some tact, you can make all of your qualities work in your favour. I think you have a lot of potential, Amelia." He stopped and paused for a moment. "…was that what you wanted?"

"…yes." Amelia murmured, and reached over to throw her arms around him. "And I love you too, Zelgadis."

Zelgadis stared at her for a moment. He wasn't exactly surprised at her confession, but he was with the timing and the phrasing. Placing a hand on her shoulder so that he could easily push her away if need be, he spoke up again.

"Too' is a very harsh implication to make, Amelia."

"I wouldn't imply it if I didn't believe it." Amelia replied with a smile. "After what you just said; I can't not believe it."

"Amelia, that was just-"

"Constructive criticism. It shows you care enough to take an interest in my flaws. Someone who doesn't care wouldn't have an inventory like that."

"It could just mean that you annoy me."

"But you care enough to be annoyed by me, then."

"It always comes back to that, doesn't it?" Zelgadis groaned. "Alright, what do you want?"

"What do I want?" Amelia blinked in confusion.

"I mean, what's the point of this conversation? Why'd you bring this up?"

"Well, because you're my friend. I care about you very much." Amelia began. "We've been working together a lot in the last few weeks, and I wanted you to know how happy it's made me."

Zelgadis was unconvinced. "And...?"

Amelia straightened up with a serious demeanour. "Young love is one of the most detrimental emotions to the astral structure of Mazoku. Haven't you read Mister Pestis' treatise? If we go to fight them with pure, unabashed love in our hearts, then we'll be undefeatable!"

Zelgadis sighed. "So, it's more of a battle strategy, huh?"

"More or less."

The chimera chuckled. "You're more devious than I gave you credit for, Amelia. Has anyone ever told you that you'd make a good villain?"

Amelia turned away from him and sniffed indignantly. "Hmph! Never- and I don't want to hear it. Everything I fight for is for the sake of Justice. You know that."

"So, I guess that means that, if I'm looking for someone to whom I can confide my criminal past, I shouldn't come to you, then?" Zelgadis smirked.

Amelia seemed to be at a loss. "Uh... well..."

"Don't worry; I'm just kidding." Zelgadis assured her, eliciting a sigh of relief from the princess. "...though, I do have quite a criminal past..."

"What?"

"Oh, nothing." The chimera shook his head. "Are you ready to go?"

Amelia jumped up excitedly. "Yes, of course! We will be victorious tonight, I can just feel it!"

"Well, that all depends on the Mazoku, doesn't it?"

* * *

Instead of going off to the libraries like usual, Zelgadis and Amelia had decided on approaching the room where the strange wall was.

They knew the way quite well by this point, and were glad to find that the way hadn't been blocked by rockslides again.

"Do you think the Mazoku have been here since we were here last...?" Amelia murmured.

"It's likely." Zelgadis answered. "Though it might be difficult to tell. If they left some sort of mark here, it would probably be very obvious." He held his lighting spell up as he entered the room, glancing around for any sign that the Mazoku might have been there. Amelia followed after him, rushing over to the wall with the carvings on it. She gasped in surprise.

"Uh... Zelgadis? Do you think _this_ is obvious enough?"

The chimera rushed to her side to see what she was so worked up about. He was about to say something, but his words caught in his throat as soon as he captured a glimpse of the wall.

"...yeah... I'd say that is..." he breathed.

Over the smooth surface of the wall, right on top of the intricately carved Mazoku writing, were two deep-cut slashes, as if they had been made by a powerful weapon- an axe or sword of some kind.

"Were they... trying to break down the wall, maybe?" Amelia asked.

"No." Zelgadis shook his head. "If they were trying to break it down, they would have struck more than twice. I think it's a message of some kind."

"But what does it mean?"

"I don't kno-" Zelgadis began to speak, but stopped abruptly. He grabbed Amelia's shoulder and pulled her close, drawing his sword. "Someone's coming!"

Amelia listened closely, trying to pull away from the chimera's grip just enough to see what was going on. The ominous sound of footsteps coming down the corridor echoed through the chamber.

Amelia readied herself to fire a spell if need be, though she tried to be as quiet as possible. Zelgadis, however, had a different idea.

"Get out of the shadows and show yourself, you coward!" he called loudly.

In response, the figure slowly emerged from the darkness and spoke.

* * *

(Aaaaand, I'll just leave it at that for now. You all probably know me well enough to guess who it is anyway~. Now that I've left it like this, I'll be lucky if I manage to update any time before next year… eheh, I know, that's not funny. I hope you all have a very happy New Year! ^_^)


	13. Left in the Dark

I apologise for not having updated this story in weeks! I've been so busy since New Year's with exams and finishing up the first semester of school. Exams are finally over now, and I have a few days off, so I hope to get lots done. Thank you all for being so patient! And, as always, I don't own anything, I'm just a fan having some fun writing some fiction. Do enjoy!

* * *

**13- Left in the Dark**

There was a low shuffling noise outside the room, and a figure appeared in the entryway, holding up a lighting spell timidly.

"Calm down, Zelgadis. It's just me."

Zelgadis immediately lowered his sword, and Amelia stepped forward in surprise.

"M-Mister Pestis?!"

"What are you doing?" Zelgadis asked, placing his sword back in its sheath. "How did you know we were here?"

Pestis shrugged. "I came looking for you, since you weren't in the libraries like usual."

"…like usual?" Amelia asked. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I mean, like the night before last, and the time before that… you've been doing research on a pretty steady basis, so I know what part of the ruins to put a barrier around." The professor bowed his head sheepishly. "Is that a problem?"

"Wait, wait, wait! So the reason we haven't seen any Mazoku is because of you?" Zelgadis gasped.

"Well, of course. I didn't want your research to be interrupted by Mazoku. That would be most inconvenient."

"But you… you knew we were sneaking here?"

"Yeah. I figured that a little warning like the one I gave wouldn't stop two strong-minded people like you." Pestis smiled at them, as though he'd expected them to disobey him all along. Zelgadis grabbed him by the shoulder.

"Then what was with that little comment yesterday, after you defended me from Phil?!"

"Oh, that? I just wanted to see what you'd say." Pestis chuckled.

"_Professor_!"

"Yeah, that's exactly what you said!"

Zelgadis slapped his forehead. "…I don't believe this. If you knew we were going to come to the ruins, and you were okay with it, then why did you restrict access?!"

"I have my reasons, but I'm afraid that it's too early to mention them. I'll explain eventually, but…" Pestis' voice trailed off. "And, it wasn't like what you were doing was dangerous. It was just rummaging around the libraries, after all. I wasn't worried because you were far enough away from…" He gestured over to the wall. "well, from that."

"I take it you still want us to stay away from that?" Zelgadis asked.

"But we were prepared to fight Mazoku tonight! We even had a long discussion about lo-"

"What she means is" Zelgadis interrupted. "that we were simply prepared to fight against Mazoku if need be. However, it seems like that shouldn't be a problem now."

Pestis sighed, and looked around. "Hopefully not, but there's one important thing that you need to-"

He wasn't able to finish his sentence, however, as the ground underfoot began to tremble, and then to shake violently.

"A-an earthquake?!" Amelia exclaimed. "We don't have earthquakes here!" Though, her voice didn't carry very well over the sound of the rocks shaking and the high winds blowing through the chamber.

"We don't have wind underground either!" Zelgadis yelled back, grabbing onto Amelia in an attempt to keep them both balanced. A loud cracking noise could be heard beneath them, something akin to a sheet of ice over a frozen body of water beginning to split apart. The room was enveloped in pitch blackness as the group was more concerned with keeping themselves from being thrown around by the wind and the earthquake than keeping their Lighting spells lit.

"Z-Zelgadis! Amelia!" Pestis yelled through the darkness. "Someone grab my hand!"

"Where are you?!" Zelgadis called back. "I can't see anything!"

"Follow my voice! We can't get separated! If we do, then-"

There was an even louder crack, and Amelia let out a shriek as she felt the ground under her cave in and collapse. Zelgadis lurched, not expecting to be supporting her full weight so suddenly, but kept his footing as he tightened his grip on the girl.

"Pestis!" he called out. "the ground is-"

He couldn't even finish saying that the ground was caving in before the ground actually _did_ cave in, taking Zelgadis and Amelia along with it. Zelgadis tried to grab hold of some sort of support with his free hand, but it was no use as the two of them tumbled down into the darkness below.

* * *

Amelia was the first to choke out a spell. "R-Ray Wing!"

The sphere of wind surrounded them, allowing the two to become stable for just a moment, before the high winds around them caused Amelia to lose control.

"There's too much wind!" she exclaimed, trying to steady their flight.

Zelgadis cast a Ray Wing spell himself, in an attempt to help, but it only made things worse, increasing the amount of wind around them. The two were buffeted back and forth, as they desperately searched for somewhere to land. Unfortunately, that place was approaching them faster than it really should have been.

Amelia felt something cold hit her face, and looked up to see, instead of darkness, a sky, filled with clouds. "...how is it raining in here?" she murmured.

"LEVITATION!"

Amelia's train of thought was abruptly cut off as Zelgadis cast a levitation spell, stopping them both in mid-air. Tentatively, the princess turned and looked toward the ground. The two had stopped just inches away from a rocky outcrop on the side of a mountain.

Amelia cringed. If they had hit, it wouldn't have been pleasant.

Zelgadis touched down softly, placing Amelia on the ground beside him. She stepped away, trying to regain her balance.

"...where are we? Did we fall deeper into the ruins?"

"Can't be." Zelgadis replied. The area around them was mountainous, with towering, snow-capped peaks and steep valleys filled with thick forests. The rocky outcrop that they were standing on was located at the bottom of a sheer cliff, made of dark gneiss, which had signs of violent metamorphism in its far past. Large raindrops fell from the sky, coating the land in a grey haze. Dim shadows of tall mountains could barely be seen on the horizon.

"...this... doesn't look like Seyruun..."

"Well, of course not." Zelgadis sighed. "But, if not, then where is it?"

"And what happened to Mister Pestis?" Amelia added.

Zelgadis glanced up at the sky, where they had supposedly fallen from. "...that's a good question. He was about to say something about what would happen if we got separated, but he couldn't finish..."

Amelia shuddered, and stepped closer to Zelgadis. "What should we do? We don't even know where we are."

"Well, the first thing to do would be to find Pestis."

"As opposed to seeking shelter from the rain?" Amelia held up her hand, still amazed at the enormous size of the raindrops.

"The rain doesn't matter, Amelia. Not if we can't figure out where we are or how to get out of here."

Amelia nodded obediently, pulling her cape up over her head to help offer some shelter from the weather. Zelgadis led the way down the rocky slope, into the thick forest, which offered better protection from the rain. It was so thick that it was almost impossible to traverse. But, still, they managed to bushwhack their way through the trees, calling out their friend's name all the while.

"This forest is getting too thick... maybe we should try searching from the sky." Zelgadis suggested after several minutes. "We could-"

The sound of someone moving through the trees towards them cut him off. Zelgadis turned in relief toward the sound.

"Pestis! Oh, thank goodness! We've been looking all over for you-"

Once again, he wasn't able to finish, though, this time, it was the blade of a sword that cut him off mid-sentence.

"Sorry, mister," the Mazoku murmured, her dark red eyes glinting menacingly. "I think you might be mistaking me for someone else."

Zelgadis jumped back. "Y-you... you're that Mazoku from before!"

Lavi snickered. "And you're that odd-looking chimera creature from before. How nice to see you. Has the professor misplaced his pets again?"

"Why do you insist on calling us pets?!" Amelia demanded. "We're his friends- and he didn't misplace us! We just..."

"Oh, so you got lost yourselves, did you?"

Zelgadis drew his sword threateningly. "You be quiet! For all we know, you could be the one responsible for us being here!"

The Mazoku's eyes glinted as she smirked. "...how did you guess?"

Without any warning, she lunged at the two, with her sword ready to strike. Just as quickly, Zelgadis had his own sword out and met each of her blows. He had to admit, he hadn't exactly pegged her as a swordswoman when he first saw her, but she could fight! Hadn't she mentioned something about not being able to fight with a sword before…? It didn't matter, however, as Zelgadis figured that he and Amelia still had the upper hand.

"It's two-against-one, you know." he scolded.

"Actually," Lavi replied with a smirk. "it's two-against-two... and I've got other tricks up my sleeve." She lunged for him again, and Zelgadis jumped back, but fell to the ground in his attempt to dodge. His mind raced, as he couldn't remember seeing anything on the ground that could have tripped him except for a small tree root, that he'd obviously avoided. Despite this, he looked up in horror to find that the root had pulled itself free from the ground and wrapped itself around his ankle. He held up his sword in defence- he couldn't move, and there was an attack with his name on it. However, that attack never actually hit.

This had been the moment Amelia had been waiting for. Her spell long prepared by this point, Lavi was distracted enough that Amelia could jump in and strike.

Unfortunately for the princess, though Lavi was distracted, her sword wasn't.

Before the Mazoku could strike Zelgadis, she was pulled around to face Amelia instead. A magical barrier extended from the sword, striking Amelia and sending her flying back.

Zelgadis gasped, suddenly realizing what Lavi had meant by two-against-two. She wasn't a high-level Mazoku using a sword. The sword was a low-level Mazoku that was using _her!_

"Amelia! Careful!" he yelled. "That sword she's using is a separate entity!"

Lavi chuckled at him and sent him a wink. "Hey, chimera-boy, you're pretty cute when you state the obvious, you know that?"

"Stay away from him!" Amelia growled.

"Oh? You're jealous? Are you saying that you'd like to fight for him?" Lavi asked with a laugh. "I could give you a run for your money."

"Why you-"

"Hold on, hold on." Zelgadis began, putting his sword away. "There's no need to fight her, Miss. She's just a little defensive." He approached Lavi and extended a hand. "Chimera-boy does have a name of course. I'm Zelgadis. You're one of the more interesting Mazoku I've ever met, I must say."

"Oh, no need for such flattery." Lavi giggled. She placed her hand in his, and he put his other hand on top of it. "You're actually a rather remarkable specimen yourself."

"Remarkable, huh?" Zelgadis murmured. He dropped his nice pretence, gripping her hands tightly. "RA TILT!"

Lavi as she flew backwards from the force of the attack, and slumped to the ground, dropping the sword-Mazoku in the process. She began reaching for it, but Zelgadis stepped on the sword before she could reach it, shoving his own sword in her face.

"You're a pretty pathetic Mazoku if you can't even tell when a human is lying through his teeth." the chimera scolded. "Now why don't you do a bit of explaining, now that we've got you here. Where in the world are we, and how did we get here?"

"Didn't your professor tell you?" Lavi growled angrily. "He'd know!"

"Well then, where is he?"

"How should I know?! I don't even want to know what that freak does in his spare time!"

Zelgadis shoved the sword closer to her face. "Pestis is not a freak! How dare you call him that?!"

"Oh, he's a freak and you know it." Lavi spat. "He shouldn't even have the dignity to call himself a Mazoku."

"He_ isn't_ a Mazoku, moron."

There was a pause, and a sly smile spread across Lavi's face. "...oh...? You mean, you don't know?"

Zelgadis took a step back, a little unnerved. "Know? Know what?"

"Ah... perhaps I shouldn't have said..."

"Tell me!" Zelgadis commanded.

"Are you sure? The truth hurts, Zelgadis." Lavi murmured darkly.

"Just tell me what you're talking about."

Lavi sighed. "Fine, fine. But I'll only tell you if you take that sword out of my face. Once that thing is put away, I'll tell you what you want to know."

Zelgadis thought about it for a moment, wondering whether it was really a good idea, but his curiosity got the better of him, and he put his sword away. "Alright, there. Are you happy no-"

He didn't get a chance to finish his question before he was sent spiralling backwards from an attack fired by the very sword he was standing on.

"Zelgadis!" Amelia rushed to his side, watching as Lavi got up and picked up the sword.

"Heh, you're a pretty pathetic human if you can't even tell when a Mazoku is lying through her teeth." she smirked.

"ELMIKIA LANCE!" Amelia shot a powerful attack at the two Mazoku, but a barrier created by the sword deflected it. Lavi smirked and began charging forward at the two. Amelia turned to face her, but Zelgadis had another idea. He grabbed Amelia forcefully by the arm and started dragging her away.

"H-hey! What are you doing?!"

"I'm running away! What does it look like?" he demanded as he ran. "That sword she had can create and deflect magical attacks! We have to get out of here and find Pestis as fast as we can! Besides, something about the way that tree root was able to trip me has me concerned. It's like it was manipulated into-"

"Zelgadis, look out!"

He stopped abruptly and not a moment too soon, as one of the trees in front was looming unnaturally toward them, its branches intertwined with those of the other trees around it, forming a barrier. Zelgadis turned the other way, but found the same on all four sides.

"Wh-what the...?!"

"There we go. The professor ought to be glad that I've trapped his little pets, just to make sure that they don't escape again." Lavi's voice called out over the treetops. "Promise you'll be good little humans from now on?"

"What did she do?" Amelia gasped, looking around.

"She seems to be able to manipulate the surroundings somehow..." Zelgadis murmured, pulling out his sword. "...but this ought to take care of that! _Astral Vine_!"

Magical energy shot up his sword, and he struck out at the branches around him. However, as soon as he sliced through a branch, it grew back, surrounding the blade of the sword, ensnaring it. Zelgadis tore through the branches easily, but no matter how much of it he cut, it just kept growing back.

Amelia was throwing attacks at the opposite side of the cage, but meeting similar results. No matter how well her attacks cut through the barrier, it grew back before she could get to it.

"When you two get tired, let me know!" Lavi laughed haughtily. "Until then, you can just keep trying in vain to escape! It's quite amusing seeing you struggle!"

"What should we do?" Amelia panted, out of breath after firing so many spells.

"I'm not sure." Zelgadis replied. "We may just have to fight her in a straight battle. I'm sure that there's some way we can gain the upper hand, if we just figure out a strategy-"

"Stop this madness at once!"

Zelgadis and Amelia froze, and then smiled at one another. The voice was all too familiar. Slowly, the branches that had them caged untangled and reverted back to their normal state.

"Oh my- has the master returned to retrieve his lost pets?" Lavi cooed. "I'm sorry, but this isn't the pound. This is finders-keepers." She smirked as Pestis approached her.

"Is this some sort of game to you?" he growled.

"Well, to be honest, it's quite close."

"Do you have any idea what you're doing by being in here?! This is a very fragile ecosystem here in this dimension, and having you here is upsetting it to the highest degree! Don't you get it?"

"Well, then..." Lavi murmured icily. "...it seems like there is a way that we can both leave happy. Give me what I want, and I'll leave."

Pestis clenched his teeth, very obviously annoyed. "I'll give you your share. That's it."

"Oh, but Lord Dynast isn't very satisfied with his share alone." Lavi murmured, holding the sword up to Pestis' throat. "That's not good enough, you see. It's not like anyone else seems to want it. He just wants to negotiate- but if you're unwilling, we'll take what we want by force."

"That's not very diplomatic." Pestis murmured.

Lavi stared Pestis down with a serious glare. "That's the trouble with diplomacy, professor. It doesn't always work."

Pestis closed his eyes for a moment, and took a long, deep breath. Then, he swung his arms up, creating a gust of wind that blew up a huge cloud of dirt and dust that was impossible to see through.

"RUN!"

Zelgadis and Amelia couldn't see through the thick dust, but that didn't matter as Pestis grabbed them both and dragged them through the forest.

"H-hey... where are we going?!" Zelgadis coughed.

"Away from here!" Pestis replied quickly. The area around them began to clear, and Zelgadis and Amelia could see their surroundings more clearly now. They were climbing the mountain, and, as the elevation grew higher, the trees grew shorter.

"Mister Pestis, don't you think we should be running toward the thick forest instead of away from it? It's impossible to hide up here!" Amelia pointed out.

"Not necessarily. Besides, with all those trees and plants, Lavi has more to manipulate down there. Because this is an astral pocket dimension, astral beings such as Mazoku have the ability to manipulate the surroundings here. That's why I didn't want them in here- they'll upset the balance of the environment if they start changing things!"

"So that's how she was able to manipulate the plants..." Zelgadis murmured. "But, then, how can we fight her? Unless..." He glanced over at Pestis, remembering what Lavi had said. "You don't have any other tricks up your sleeve, do you, professor?"

"Just a few." Pestis replied, not even looking over at the chimera. He was paying attention to the cliff face that they were approaching. "Here's where we're going to hide."

"What do you mean? This is just an exposed cliff face." Amelia protested.

Pestis smiled at the two, waving his finger chidingly. "Now, now, what may look like a normal rock wall could actually be the perfect hiding place."

Zelgadis was unamused. "We don't have time for your silly metaphors, Professor! That Mazoku will be here any minute, and-"

"Do you trust me?"

"What?" Zelgadis and Amelia looked up at the man who had his hand outstretched to them.

"Do you trust me?" the professor repeated.

The chimera and the princess exchanged a glance. Finally, Zelgadis sighed, and took his hand. "I trust you."

"Me too." Amelia agreed, taking the professor's other hand. "For the sake of Justice, friends must trust in one another."

Pestis gave a nod, smiling brightly. "Now, follow my lead, and don't let go of my hands, alright?"

His instructions confused his friends, but they did as they were told. Pestis began running toward the cliff wall, as though he intended to run straight into it. Either he was absolutely insane, Zelgadis decided, or…

The formerly solid rock wall felt more like a curtain as the three of them passed through it, brushing over them and allowing them passage into the inky blackness of some sort of cave. Pestis stopped running and let go of their hands, in order to create a lighting spell to light up the pure darkness.

"Wh-what was _that_?!" Amelia gasped. She ran back over to the wall they had just passed through, attempting to touch it. "The wall is solid rock! How did we run through it?"

Zelgadis joined her, pressing his hand up against the wall along with her. He hit it a couple of times, just to be sure. "She's right. This is impenetrable. How did you…?" He glanced back at the professor, his suspicions suddenly coming to a conclusion. "You said that only Mazoku could alter this dimension. Does that mean that you're…"

Amelia straightened up and stared at Pestis as well. "Th-that can't be! It's not true, is it Pestis?"

The professor glanced around awkwardly. "No. I mean, yes… er… I mean…" He stopped and took a deep breath. "I'm not a Mazoku, I promise." Amelia and Zelgadis sighed in relief, but were intrigued by the rest of his story. "…but I'm not a human either."

"…meaning?" Zelgadis pressed.

"I'm the one who created this dimension."

* * *

(A/N: I always do get a kick out of having the title of the story spoken at some point in the dialogue. I did that with 'Pulling the Strings' too, haha. Ah… I really need to get more motivated about this…)


	14. It's Complicated

Hello all! As per usual I don't own anything- really, this isn't mine, so a lot of the information I give about Mazoku is just speculation and fiction- I'm just a fan having some fun writing a story. Please enjoy it!

* * *

**14- It's Complicated**

"You did _what_?!"

"I created this dimension." Pestis repeated firmly.

"But Mister Pestis, I thought that you said a Mazoku created it!" Amelia protested.

"That's…. sort of true." The professor wrung his hands nervously.

Zelgadis stepped towards him. "So, what you're saying is, you're _sort of _a Mazoku?"

"Yes!" Pestis chirped. "Well, in a way."

"In a way?" Amelia raised an eyebrow.

"How old are you anyway? You never said. We got up to 35, and then after that you pulled the '200' trick on me…" Zelgadis accused.

"_Almost _200." Pestis corrected. "And that _was_ a lie. I'm actually much older than that. I go back almost to the War of the Gods and Monsters."

Amelia and Zelgadis nearly choked. "W-war of the Gods and Monsters?!" Amelia gasped. "A-are you sure you didn't mean the War of the Monsters' Fall?"

"No, no. War of the Gods and Monsters. The ancient battle between Cepheid and Shabranigdo. I know what I'm talking about." Pestis responded pleasantly.

"But… but… but…" Even Zelgadis was speechless. "…I don't understand."

"It's _very _complicated. Would you like me to explain it over tea?"

"Tea?" Amelia looked around. "But Mister Pestis, there's nothing in here but cave walls. We're stuck."

Pestis shook his head, approaching the wall that they had just run through. He fumbled around, as though searching for something on the face of the rock. "There should be a door around here somewhere…"

"You know that's where we just came from, right?" Zelgadis spoke up. "That Mazoku is going to be looking for us, and we can't-"

"Got it!" Pestis exclaimed as he pulled open a door on the wall. Instead of the mountainous landscape that they had just fled from, it led out into the streets of a small village. Amelia and Zelgadis glanced at each other, a little sceptical of the whole ordeal.

"Don't worry. It's a good town. I know these people." Pestis assured them. "I wouldn't take you anywhere dangerous. Trust me."

The two sighed, and followed him out of the door.

* * *

The weather in the village was much nicer than it had been in the mountains that they had come from. The sun was shining brightly, and only a few clouds hung low on the horizon. Amelia and Zelgadis stepped out of the door, and then watched Pestis close it behind them. It looked like an ordinary door on an ordinary little house.

"So… that door leads into the mountain cave?" Amelia asked, cracking it open slightly. She found nothing but a quaintly furnished entryway to the house behind the door they had just come out of.

"No. I mean, it can sometimes, if I choose to manipulate it that way, but on a regular basis, it doesn't." Pestis replied, and let out a laugh. "It's complicated… just like my life, right?"

"Wow!" Amelia clapped her hands. "That's amazing! It feels familiar- like something I read about in a book once."

"About a magic door in a cave?" Zelgadis asked.

"Well, actually, it was a castle. But the idea is the same." Amelia replied.

"Come with me. There's a lovely café down in this direction." Pestis pointed them down the street. Various creatures of every shape and size seemed to be milling about the town, going about their daily routine- if odd-looking creatures could have anything that could be called that. Amelia tried her best not to stare, but it was hard to help it. Zelgadis, if anything, felt almost relieved by the strange townsfolk. They made him feel almost normal.

Pestis led the two into what they assumed to be the small café. A fairly human-looking woman greeted them enthusiastically from behind the counter. "Professor Nisery! It's such a pleasure to see you again! How are you doing? Are these friends of yours?"

"Ah; that's complicated- but, yes, they are dear friends of mine. Please, would you bring us some Jasmine tea?" Complicated seemed to be Pestis' favourite word today.

The woman gave him a questioning look. "No coffee this time?"

"Not right now." Pestis sighed, massaging his temples. "I just can't drink any at the moment."

The woman's peppy attitude subsided, and she frowned in consternation. "…alright, then. Really, is anything wrong?"

"No, no. Please, don't trouble yourself. I just need to talk to my friends." He paused, and then added "And, is it possible for us to sit in the back room? We need some peace and quiet. If anyone asks, I'm not here, no matter who saw me walk in."

The woman's expression seemed to betray that she knew something wasn't quite right, but nodded in reply. "Whatever you want, professor. Just follow me. I'll bring in a pot of tea once you're all settled."

"Thank you so much, Mirna."

The woman seated them around a low table in a back room, and scurried back toward the kitchen. "Mister Pestis, who was that? What is this place?"

Pestis closed his eyes and sighed. "This is a village I established myself. The people in this village are all Mazoku, but they aren't quite right. They're all flawed- by Mazoku standards, at least. Most don't or can't feed off negative emotions. If it weren't for the home that this dimension offers them, they wouldn't have anywhere to go. They're not powerful, and normal Mazoku seek to destroy them. This place, sealed off from the rest of the Mazoku race, is the only place that's safe for them… or so I thought."

"So… all this time, when you were protecting the barrier, you were really protecting all of these good Mazoku who live within it?" Amelia asked. "That's… so sweet."

"Why have you done all this for them anyway?" Zelgadis asked.

"Because they're all just like me." Pestis replied. "_I _am a flawed Mazoku- that is, a Mazoku whose creation was a failure. I'm different only in respect to hierarchy and power levels. If a high-ranking Mazoku creates a low-ranking Mazoku or lesser demon, and it comes out flawed, it's really not in his best interest to destroy it and try again- that would take more energy than was expended to make it. That's why all of these Mazoku were allowed to live- really, they were just abandoned. However, when a Mazoku creates a very powerful subordinate, and that subordinate is flawed, then the normal course of action is to destroy it and salvage as much power from it as possible to try again. That… should have happened to me."

"…but it didn't." Zelgadis finished his sentence as Mirna returned to the room with a pot of tea. Pestis thanked her and politely shooed her away. "I suppose you're going to tell us why you're still alive, then?" the chimera continued, pouring tea for his friends and then for himself.

"It was because of my master- my friend, really. You see, it was back when Shabranigdo had first given rise to the Mazoku race. The powerful Mazoku lords were just learning to create subordinates of their own. It's a very curious act, creating a Mazoku. You need just the right amounts of astral energy and miasma, or negative energy. A Mazoku with too much miasma and not enough astral energy will end up consuming itself in its quest to grow stronger. A Mazoku with too much astral energy and not enough Miasma cannot feed off of negative power, and is unable to grow any more powerful than it was created to be." Pestis paused. "I fall into the latter category, obviously."

"So why weren't you destroyed?" Amelia asked.

"My master created me to be the perfect subordinate- honest, loyal, hardworking, and intelligent, but clumsy and awkward enough that I'd never steal his thunder. He put a lot of thought into the kind of person I'd be, and he was pleased with the result. He made me his highest-ranking subordinate, even though I couldn't feed off negative emotions- he didn't care because he appreciated me just the way I was, and I can't ever forget the compassion he showed me. That's why I have to care for these broken Mazoku here, and I can't let anything happen to them. That's why I have to keep Dynast's army out."

"What a beautiful reason to protect a place." Amelia sniffled. "It's a noble cause, keeping it up in loving memory of the friend who first showed you kindness."

"_Honour, _not memory. He's not dead." Pestis stated curtly. "The thing is, this dimension is perfectly balanced as far as the ecosystem and conditions go. If other Mazoku start coming in and messing things up, it'll throw the natural balance of the dimension out of whack, and the entire thing might collapse in on itself. That would be _bad_. I couldn't let all these poor, well-intentioned Mazoku suffer."

Zelgadis felt like the conversation was stalling, and he really wanted his questions answered faster than this.

"That's nice that you care so much and everything, professor, but there's still something I want to know." he demanded. "Are these broken Mazoku really what Dynast's subordinates are after? Seems like a lot of trouble to go to just to commit a hate crime. Is there something else within this dimension that they're after?"

"Yes, actually. I was getting to that."

"You weren't getting to it fast enough. Aren't we in some kind of danger here?"

Pestis seemed to wilt slightly, and nodded. "Well… yes. Y'see, this dimension isn't just a haven for these Mazoku- it's also a storage place for a set of Black Magic vessels."

"Black Magic vessels? Is that what Dynast wants?" Amelia asked. "They don't sound all that dangerous."

"Well, by themselves, they're not. They were created after the War of the Monsters' Fall, as a way to make sure that the Mazoku race never lost power like they did during that time. It is supposed to represent a piece of the soul of Shabranigdo- a 'false shard,' if you will. It is in six pieces, one created by each of the five Dark Lords at the time, and…"

"What is the extra for?" Amelia asked.

"Just an extra." Pestis shrugged. "One made by me."

"By _you_?" Zelgadis raised an eyebrow. "Why you?"

"Complicated diplomatic concerns." was the only reply that Pestis gave. Everything was complicated now, apparently.

"So what are the vessels for? Are they weapons of mass destruction, or can they create some sort of curse, or…" Amelia spoke up.

"No. They just store power."

Everyone was quiet for a moment.

"…that's it?" The princess seemed half relieved and half disappointed.

"Well, I'd expect that they're storing copious amounts of Black Magic energy, that could be released at will by whoever holds the vessels. Is that right?"

"Yes, exactly, Zelgadis." Pestis nodded in approval. "They are meant to be used as a power source. A human possessing these vessels could be able to cast a Black Magic spell without the spell ever having to draw from their reservoir of magic energy, since it draws from the vessels instead. Therefore, in theory, they could be used by someone with no magical capacity whatsoever, or by someone whose magical capacity has become compromised for various reasons such as illness, injury, or, uh… certain times of the month."

"_Professor_!" Amelia's face turned red.

"What?! I was married to a sorceress for many years. I couldn't _not _know about those sorts of things!" he defended, though his face was turning a shade redder as well.

"So, that wife you talked about… was a human?" Zelgadis replied.

Pestis nodded solemnly. "Yes, she was. She didn't care what I was or who I was affiliated with. We loved each other more than anything… and we lived happily together for so many years. We survived the War of the Monsters' Fall together, and remained together as long as we could, until… well… time has its limits for mortal creatures that even magic can't change."

A look of realization passed over Zelgadis' face. "She didn't die of an illness- she died of _old age_."

"Do you have any pictures of her?" Amelia asked. "Y'know, to help you remember?"

"I don't need them to remember, but yes, I have many." Pestis reached into his bag and pulled out a weather-beaten sketchbook that was bound together with a lock. He carefully opened it and flipped a few pages until he came to a particular one. "I drew lots of pictures of her when she was alive. She was so beautiful, drawing anything else felt rather drab in comparison. So, for years, I drew nothing but her."

Amelia stared in awe at the drawing, the warmth from the blonde woman's smile seeming to emanate out from the picture. "Wow, she _was_ beautiful. That's so sweet…"

Pestis just nodded, and stood up from the table, as though trying to change the subject. "We need to get out of here." he stated, putting the sketchbook back into his bag.

"What?" Amelia looked around. "B-but we haven't even finished our tea…"

"The longer we're in this village, the more likely it is that we'll attract Dynast in his minions here to attack us. We _have _to leave!"

"And go where?!" Zelgadis demanded, jumping to his feet. "You've been flighty ever since we ended up in this dimension. I thought that you'd clearly led us to this little town of yours to keep us safe, but now you want to leave again? What's your plan- to go somewhere where our battle with Lavi and whatever other Mazoku she has with her will result in fewer casualties?"

"No! That's not it at all!" Pestis defended indignantly. "I'm going to try to lure them out of the dimension so that we can get them out without a fight!"

"It's _always _about avoiding a fight with you, isn't it?" Zelgadis growled, drawing his sword. "Sometimes you just have to stand up for yourself if you don't want to get walked all over!"

"_Sometimes_ you have to act rationally to avoid hurting the people you care about!"

"Well, _sometimes_ the most rational thing to do would be to go ahead and confront the problem instead of hiding your head in the sand all the time!"

"BOYS, BOYS!" Amelia jumped up onto the table, standing with her arms outstretched between them. "You're friends who have trusted each other with your very lives up to this point. Why are you both fighting like this, then?"

Pestis and Zelgadis stopped, and then looked over at each other.

"I'm sorry…" Pestis drew back. "I shouldn't have yelled at you. This is no time for us to be fighting amongst ourselves."

Zelgadis put away his sword. "…I'm sorry I got so worked up. This is all so crazy, and I still don't have much idea as to what's going on. You're bombarding us with information, but not telling us the most important parts. How are we going to get out of here?"

"The only way out is using those vessels I mentioned earlier." Pestis replied. "They are what will transport beings back to the real world from this dimension."

"And where are they? They're hidden, right?" Amelia asked.

"…yes…" Pestis murmured, as though there were more to it than that.

"What is it?" Zelgadis pressed.

"Well… the vessels… they're, uh…" The professor gave a sheepish smile and chuckled nervously. "…they're hidden inside a volcano."

"_WHAT?!" _

"W-well, it seemed like a good idea at the time!" Pestis stammered, holding up his hands. "I'd been reading a lot of fantasy novels, okay?"

"But you can manipulate the dimension, right?" Zelgadis asked.

"Yes, that is correct."

"Then we'll have nothing to worry about. We'll just lead the evil Mazoku to the volcano, and use the vessels to send all of us back to the ruins! Then we can defeat them and make sure that they never come back!" Amelia exclaimed. "It's brilliant!"

Pestis closed his eyes. "If only things always worked out that well, Princess. We'll just have to do the best we can, and-"

"Professor!"

The voice was Mirna's, and it sounded pretty hysterical. "Oh, Professor, you have to come quickly! I know you said not to tell anyone that you were here, but there's a woman I've never seen before, and she says she's looking for you." The woman's tone became hushed. "…her aura feels evil. I think she might be one of _them_…"

"Is she wearing a scarf over one side of her face?" Pestis asked.

"Yes, I think so; and one around her neck. Brown hair, and-"

"How did she find us so quickly?!" Zelgadis demanded, drawing his sword again. "I need to go out there and teach her a thing or two-"

"Wait, Zelgadis!" Pestis put his hand on the chimera's arm. "Let's just go see what she wants first."

"…but…"

"Remember, we're trying to lead her out of here, not fight her. We'll get her out of this dimension, and then you can fight her to your heart's content. Agreed?"

Zelgadis sighed, looking quite unhappy to have to put his sword away for the second time. "Alright, fine. But once we get out of this dimension, she's mine to destroy."

Pestis bowed his head. "Okay. But, for now, follow me."

Zelgadis and Amelia did as they were told.

* * *

(Ah… uh… not much to say… Amelia was referencing a book some may recognize; though I've only seen the movie adaptation. I will be reading the book soon, though! I'm so excited! It's sitting on my bedroom floor, waiting for me to finish the Guardians series first… I need to set aside more time to read; I'm too addicted to playing Pokémon right now. Blegh.)


	15. Fighting Fire With Water

Hello, all! I'm still plugging away at the story! Sorry for the chapter being a little short this time, but battle scenes are difficult to write. As per usual, I don't own anything, I'm just a fan writing some fiction! Please enjoy it!

* * *

**15- Fighting Fire With Water**

The first indication that there was a problem was that the weather in the village had changed.

No longer was it the bright, sunny day that they had experienced before. The sky had grown overcast, and there was a strong wind blowing through the streets of the town.

"Alright, where is she?" Pestis asked, walking out into the middle of the street. "Lavi wanted to talk to me?"

Zelgadis and Amelia looked around as well. "…I don't see her… or anyone, for that matter." Amelia spoke up. "There were so many people out here earlier."

"They recognize a true Mazoku when they see one. They're not idiots." Pestis murmured. "They're smart enough to take shelter before anyone gets hurt."

"Yeah! Funny, that seems to be something you're too stupid to do, Professor!"

Pestis whipped around, but didn't have time to identify the voice before a large explosion rocked the street. Amelia ducked and dragged Zelgadis down with her. "I thought she said she just wanted to talk!" the princess yelled.

"I think we all had a hunch she was lying!" Zelgadis called back.

Amelia ground her teeth. "That's a typical Mazoku for you! You can't trust them about anything!"

"Tut, tut, little princess- you and your chimera friend haven't exactly been the most honest pair these last few weeks, now have you?"

"We were only trying to figure out what the Mazoku were doing so that we could put a stop to your villainous ways!" Amelia stood proudly.

"So, fighting fire with fire, are you?" Lavi smirked, and Amelia scowled in frustration.

"You may say what you like, but hear me when I say that I shall never stoop to the heinous levels on which you Mazoku function! I am a warrior of Justice, and, as such, I strive to-"

"_Ra Tilt_!"

Lavi was caught off-guard, along with Amelia. "Zelgadis!" the princess whined, spinning around. "I was right in the middle of a speech!"

"Sorry about that. Standing around and arguing with Mazoku just isn't my style." Zelgadis shrugged, unaffected.

Lavi brushed herself off, regaining her balance on the rooftop. "Your magic isn't too shabby, I'll give you that."

"Lavi, please!" Pestis called out. "Won't you just hear us out?! There's a reason beyond just my preferences that you can't take these ancient relics! The gemstones have a very dangerous defence mechanism ingrained within them, and if you use them the wrong way, then you could-"

"Use them the wrong way? They're just pure power, old man! What wrong way is there to use power?"

"There are infinite wrong ways to use power, and if you'd just listen to what I'm saying, it would help to-"

"If you haven't forgotten, right and wrong is very subjective." Lavi spat back. "You've studied Mazoku long enough to know that. Whatever you think is the right thing to do with the power you have, someone else is going to think it's wrong. No matter what you do, it'll be right to one person and wrong to another! There are no such things as right and wrong, and once you learn that, you'll be much better off!"

"No, no- you have it all wrong! It doesn't mean _morally _right or wrong! It's just that there's a strict restriction on the usage of the magic in those vessels, and if you break it, then everything will-"

"Blah, blah, blah, I don't wanna hear it!" Lavi chided. "You, little man, are getting on my nerves. Why don't you just hide in the houses like the other failures and let a_ real_ Mazoku take charge of the situation?"

"Because, clearly, a 'real' Mazoku doesn't have the sense to make responsible decisions!" Pestis yelled back angrily. Amelia moved a little closer to Zelgadis- it was clear that Lavi had struck a nerve, and the professor wasn't going to back down so easily.

"Sense?" Lavi started to giggle, which gave way to loud laughter. "Who needs sense when you have power?! I've got Lord Dynast backing me! I can mow down this whole village if I want to!"

"You wouldn't!" Pestis snarled.

"Oh really?" Lavi shook her head disappointedly. "You really don't know what kind of power I have, do you? This ought to teach you a lesson, o ye of little faith!"

A screeching noise echoed through the sky, and suddenly it seemed as though fire were raining down on the streets of the village. It caught in rooftops and fences, starting up small fires all around.

Amelia frantically swung around as many Aqua Create spells as she could, but there didn't seem to be any end to the fires that were surrounding them.

"Amelia, just leave it! We've got to get out of here- the longer we stay here, the more destruction the town will be faced with!" Pestis called frantically. Amelia straightened up and turned around to the professor.

"B-but… you expect us to leave the town and everyone in it? I thought you wanted to protect them!"

"Amelia, it's obvious that Lavi wants us, not them. If we leave the village, then she's going to follow. We can lead her away from them, and that way the villagers will be safe." Zelgadis replied.

"There's a river that runs parallel to the town, separating it from the volcano- in case anything bad ever happened, I put a barrier up around the river- it runs along the side of the river on both sides, and it stops anything from passing over it except for over certain magical bridges that allow living beings to cross. If we cross the bridge, then all of Lavi's attacks, no matter how devastating, will have no effect on the people of the town. The barrier will protect against them." Pestis called.

Zelgadis and Amelia glanced at each other and then nodded, following after him.

Lavi stood on one of the rooftops, watching the three of them with a smirk. "Where are you guys going? Running away? I at least thought you humans were brave enough to stand up to me! Where are all those big words now, princess?"

Pestis had made it to the bridge, and was in the middle of it, motioning to Zelgadis and Amelia. However, Lavi seemed to have other plans. She jumped out in front of Amelia, causing the princess to have to stop abruptly.

"You're not getting away from me so easily, little girl! You could be useful." Lavi murmured, grabbing Amelia by the wrist.

"_Elmekia Lance~!_" Amelia shot a spell at Lavi, which threw her back a few feet, but despite the direct hit, she refused to let go of Amelia's wrist, and the princess was dragged to the ground with her. She looked up to see Zelgadis about to fire a Flare Arrow in their direction, but held up the dazed Amelia.

"Wait a minute there, Mister Chimera! You wouldn't want to hurt your beloved princess in the process of shooting off that spell, would you?"

Zelgadis stepped back slightly with a scowl on his face and drew his sword. "Alright, then- fine. Where's your sword friend from earlier? We can settle this my way."

"Your way? You say that like you're the only one here who can handle a sword." Lavi raised an eyebrow. "As a matter of fact, my 'sword friend' isn't here right now. He's off handling other affairs. I could still probably beat you with one hand tied behind my back, if you'd like."

Zelgadis just sneered. "I'd like to see you try." He stepped in front of Amelia, pushing her aside. "Go join Pestis on the other side of the bridge, where it's safe. I'll handle this."

"No way!" Amelia shot back, holding up her fists. "A true Warrior of Justice won't leave a friend in need! I'm backing you up!"

It wasn't the response Zelgadis had wanted, but it made him smile nonetheless. He should have expected as much from Amelia.

"Alright, fine. But _I_ get the pleasure of ripping that Mazoku apart."

"You talk big for someone as scrawny as you are." Lavi called out. She held a ball of dark energy in one hand, staring down at it mischievously. "It's awfully sweet how your little girlfriend wants to help you, but it won't be any good, you know. I'll only be killing both of you."

"Well, now, don't you talk big for someone as short as you are?" Zelgadis quipped in reply.

A series of explosions and spells ensued from the conversation, and Pestis watched from the bridge in apprehension.

"Wh-what are they doing? I specifically told them not to fight in the village!" Pestis muttered under his breath to himself and turned back to his friends, waving his hands frantically in the air. They didn't seem to hear him, and he could make out both Amelia and Zelgadis' voices chanting spells.

The professor ground his teeth in frustration. _This is no good… if this keeps up, Lavi is going to destroy most of the village. I've worked hard to protect all these kind people, and I'm not about to let them get hurt because some egotistical Mazoku lord wants to get his hands on power that isn't his! If they only knew about the defence mechanism…_

The professor shot a glance to the river on both sides of him. There had to be some way to lure Lavi across it, but he's have to get Amelia and Zelgadis to come too, and that was the big issue. If he made too big a deal about it, Lavi would know exactly what he was doing.

Pestis looked up at the sky, and then nodded as though making a deal with it. At his motion, the clouds that covered the sky began pouring down rain onto the little village. Steam filled the air as the fires on all of the houses began to fight against the deluge.

Zelgadis and Amelia were caught off-guard by the sudden rainstorm and Zelgadis looked over to see Pestis waving from the bridge. He sighed in resignation and sheathed his sword once again.

"Amelia! Fall back!" he called.

The princess was surprised by his order, but nodded obediently and followed after him on the way toward the bridge. Lavi watched from one of the rooftops with an evil grin on her face.

"That's right, humans… run while you still can."

As Amelia and Zelgadis neared the bridge, Pestis called out to them.

"Make sure Lavi's following you! It's no use if she stays behind to attack the village further!"

Before Zelgadis could react, Amelia spun around and called out to the Mazoku. "I hope you're proud of yourself! You're letting three powerful Warriors of Justice slip right through your fingers!"

Lavi was still too far away for them to see her expression in the pouring rain, but they could clearly see her raise her hands.

Dark arrows shot down from the sky, as though trying to impale the enemies of the Mazoku who had called upon them.

"Run!" Zelgadis grabbed Amelia's hand and the two weaved through the rain- both literal and figurative, as the arrows were raining down upon them as well.

Zelgadis could feel the barrier melting around him as he crossed over the study wooden bridge that was linking both sides of the river. However, before he could get very far, he felt his hand jerked backwards.

"Amelia?"

The princess was pulling on her cape. An arrow had pierced through it and buried itself into the wood of the bridge, keeping Amelia stuck to one spot. She pulled on her cape desperately, but it was to no avail.

"Keep going!" she called. "I'll be fine! The fabric is weaker now that it's wet; I just have to-"

"There's no time!" Zelgadis pulled out his sword, ready to slice off the part of the cape that held Amelia captive to the bridge. However, a voice momentarily stopped him.

"You're right! There isn't any time!" Lavi appeared on the railing of the bridge beside them. "Time's up, silly humans! I think this bridge would make lovely firewood!"

With that declaration, an explosion rocked the bridge, ripping it apart by the boards. Amelia and Zelgadis grabbed for each other's hands in the confusion, but couldn't find them.

Their screams were all that could be heard over the blast.

* * *

(A/N: Battle scenes really are the most difficult to write, my word… To all of you who have read this far, I am eternally grateful. I was talking to a friend the other day about this story, and she told me that, after reading such a convoluted story, no one would ever want to read any of my stories again! Haha… she was kidding, of course- I think- but I really do have you guys to thank. I like to know that people like the story, so if you are reading it, feel free to leave a little comment. I don't bite! Just something to let me know that what I'm writing is worthwhile. Thank you all so much for reading!)


	16. Bridge Over Troubled Water

Hello there! Thank you so very much to everyone who's been reading this! I can't express my appreciation enough! As usual, I don't own anything, I'm just a fan having some fun writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

**16- Bridge Over Troubled Water**

The bridge had collapsed. That much was clear.

Zelgadis pulled himself up from the ground with rubble strewn about him. He brushed grass and mud off his cloak and looked around. Pestis was at his side, staring in concern.

"Oh, Zelgadis! Are you okay?!"

"Yeah, yeah… I'm fine…" Zelgadis stared at the river. It seemed as though most of the rubble had been dumped in the water, the small bits being easily swept away. But… what did that mean for…?

Amelia!

"Amelia! Hey, Amelia!" Zelgadis rushed through the rubble toward the river, planning to use Levitation to get over the river if he had to. However, he found himself unable to get any further than the banks of the river.

An invisible barrier barred his passage, as though a brick wall had been constructed between him and the river. He banged on it a few times, and pulled out his sword in an attempt to cut through it, but nothing worked.

"Amelia!" he called again both in worry and frustration.

"Zelgadis? Hey, Zelgadis! I'm over here!"

The small voice from the other side of the river made the chimera jerk his head around. Amelia stood a few feet downriver, on the other bank. She was still a bit unsteady on her feet, as though she'd just managed to pull herself up off the ground.

"Amelia, are you alright?"

"I'm perfectly fine!" she called back. "I'll be over there in just a second! _Ray Wi-"_

_THUNK!_

The princess was jarred back a few feet and rubbed her nose painfully. "Oww… what just happened?"

"It's the barrier!" Pestis called, running up beside Zelgadis. "The bridge over the river was a break in the barrier where living beings could cross with relative ease. But once the bridge was destroyed, then the link between both sides of the barrier was severed, and the hole filled in.

"W-wait!" Zelgadis gasped, turning to the professor. "Do you mean that Amelia is stuck over there? Can't you just build another bridge?"

Pestis rolled his eyes and chuckled to himself. "Can't I just build another bridge? Haha… NO! I _can't _just 'build another bridge!' I don't have the materials!"

"I'll cut down a tree for you. We can sling it across the river and have Amelia over here in two seconds." Zelgadis drew his sword, a look of determination on his face.

"It's not that simple. Besides, all of the trees around here aren't tall enough- the river's too wide."

"Then we'll just have to find a tree that's tall enough! I can carry it however far it needs to go, I just-"

"Zelgadis, there _is_ another bridge!" Pestis interrupted.

Zelgadis paused and sheathed his sword once again, trying to regain his composure.. "…oh. Why didn't you just say so?"

The professor ran his fingers through his hair in exasperation and looked back over at Amelia. "It's upstream several miles, along a popular hiking trail. It's not the most sturdy bridge, and it might be better if you levitated over it, but it'll get you across the barrier and that's what counts."

Amelia grinned. "Perfect! That's all I need! Don't worry you two! I'll meet up with you there!"

"Come to think of it," Zelgadis began, suddenly remembering that they'd just been fighting an angry Mazoku. "where did Lavi run off to?"

"She managed to get across the bridge before it collapsed. While you two were out, she disappeared- she's likely to already be exploring the passages in the volcano to find those vessels. Without a guide, she won't get to them very fast, but still…" The professor ran his hands through his hair with a look of frenzied anxiety. "Oh, this isn't good! We've got to get there first, otherwise-"

"Calm down." Zelgadis put a hand on Pestis' shoulder. "We'll just go meet Amelia at the bridge you mentioned and then we'll continue on to wherever these vessels are hidden. It shouldn't be a problem."

"Well…" Pestis began nervously.

"Well, what?"

"Uh… about the bridge…" the professor turned and pointed upstream. "It's completely in the opposite direction we want to be travelling in. It'll put us behind nearly ten miles all in all. That's a whole day that we don't have, Zelgadis."

"But what am I supposed to do?" Amelia called from across the river. "I can't get across without that bridge!"

"And I'm not leaving Amelia behind." Zelgadis declared firmly.

"I know, I know. I wouldn't separate you two, I promise. It's just…"

"How about you go on to find Lavi, and I'll meet Amelia at the bridge?" Zelgadis offered. "That way we can find you together."

"That's a good idea!" Amelia called. "We can walk along the river together! It'll be like we aren't even separated!"

"But, once you're together, how will you find me?"

There was a pause, and Zelgadis and Amelia glanced at one another. It was a valid question, though neither of them wanted to admit it.

"But…" Amelia seemed to wilt a bit. "…what am I supposed to do?"

Zelgadis glanced unhappily at Amelia, and then back at Pestis. "Well, _you're _the several-thousand-year-old professor. Any bright ideas?"

"…" Pestis just nodded. "I do…"

"What? What?" Amelia called out, standing up on the tips of her toes. "It's important!"

"I have a friend that I can send correspondence to- a good friend of mine that knows the terrain perfectly. Hadi is his name- he can guide you safely to a specific point that I can establish for Zelgadis and me to meet you."

"And you trust this friend?" Zelgadis didn't look convinced.

"Of course I do! Don't worry so much!" Pestis assured the chimera. "He's very old, and has lots of experience with humans. He'll take good care of Amelia, I promise."

"…that's what I'm afraid of…" Zelgadis muttered under his breath.

"Oh, c'mon. Don't talk like that." Pestis whispered, giving Zelgadis a wink. "Hadi has no interest whatsoever in human girls- and Amelia only has eyes for you anyway."

The chimera just stared at Pestis. "…y'know, when you revealed everything about your past to us, I was afraid that you were going to act differently. But you haven't changed at all."

Pestis giggled. "Now, why would I? You should really smile- Amelia is watching!"

Zelgadis rolled his eyes, but turned to Amelia anyway. "Are you alright with this?"

"I'll be fine!" Amelia called back. "You don't have to worry about me at all. You know I can take care of myself."

"She can. I can attest to that." Zelgadis sighed. "I suppose that it's really the best option, but I still don't like splitting up."

"Unfortunately, we don't have much of a choice." Pestis added. He glanced up at the sky for a moment, as though trying to figure out whether the rain might end soon, and then waved his hand to stop it just as easily as he'd started it. "We'll be slogging through puddles, but we should go ahead and start moving. Amelia?"

"Yes?" Amelia perked up, wringing the water out of her cape now that the rain had stopped.

"You should go ahead and start walking upstream. Hadi may be old, but he's a fast mover- he'll catch up to you once I get word to him."

Amelia nodded softly. She put a hand up against the barrier and called out to her friends. "I'll catch up to you soon. Be careful."

"Same to you." Zelgadis waved at her.

Amelia started running down the side of the river, blowing a kiss and waving back in Zelgadis' direction.

"Aww, look at that!" Pestis elbowed Zelgadis with a mischievous grin. "Aren't you lucky?"

"She was blowing a kiss to both of us. It was meant to be a wish for safe travels." The chimera turned and started in the opposite direction as the one in which Amelia had run off.

"Oh no, that was clearly for you!" Pestis followed after Zelgadis, poking him bemusedly. "Tell me, is that the first kiss you've ever gotten from her?"

"Why does that matter?"

"Ohhhh, so it's _not_, is it?!"

"I never said that."

"Well, then- is it?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

"I _would_!"

* * *

Amelia hummed a tune to herself as she strolled past the flowing waters of the river. She glanced over at the rapids, musing on the river itself.

"Mister Pestis never said the name of the river. I wonder if it has a name. If it doesn't, then maybe I should give it a name. Let's see… what's a good name for a river…?" She closed her eyes and smiled. "Maybe I should name it after my Dad. I think he'd like that! The river Philionel? No, that doesn't sound very good. Perhaps El or Di? Di is a nice name for a river. I think that should be it."

The princess continued to think to herself as she splashed through puddles. It was impossible to tell what time of day it was with the clouds obscuring the sky- come to think of it, she wasn't even sure if this world experienced night the way her world did. All she knew was that she was following the river and would be walking for several more miles before she was able to even get to the same side of the barrier that Zelgadis and Pestis were on.

"This stupid barrier…" she muttered to herself. "Obstructing Justice is what it's doing. Separating friendship and love, and being a total obstruction to Justice. Hmph." Amelia turned up her nose disdainfully as she continued along the river's edge.

"Though… Mister Pestis did say that the barrier protects the town. If that evil Mazoku really is on the other side now, then the townspeople… beings… will be safe. That's encouraging. And, besides, now I'll get to meet Mister Hadi. That sounds like fun- he sounds like a very wise astral being. Surely if Mister Pestis trusts him enough to guide me through this world, and Zelgadis does too…"

She let her voice trail off and stopped, looking back into the river. The water flowed over some rocks, pooling in a small crevice before running down and joining the rest of the river as it rushed back in the direction Amelia had come from. She could see her reflection, somewhat distorted in the water as it bent and followed the stones along the riverbed.

"I know I can take care of myself just fine, but I kind of wish I wasn't alone. Just earlier today I was safe at home in Seyruun, but… now all of a sudden I'm in this crazy dimension I've never heard of, and I haven't the slightest idea where I am. I don't even know when my guide will show up."

Amelia sat down beside the river with a melancholy sigh. The ground was still soaked, but so were her clothes already, so it didn't matter.

"Isn't this the part in the novel when the Warrior of Justice gets help from some sort of wise companion who comes to them in their hour of need? I mean… even a Warrior of Justice needs a little bit of help sometimes. No one can do everything on their own, right?"

"Your highness?"

A soft tenor voice spoke out behind her, and Amelia stiffened before turning around. "Hello?"

She expected to see some sort of man behind her- especially, perhaps, an elderly man like Pestis had described, but she was given quite a surprise. It was… a cat?

The feline stood several feet from her, his yellow eyes regarding her curiously. Amelia had seen many cats in her life, but none quite like this one. He was a shorthair with a pale grey-blue coat, and, oddly enough, had what looked like a sword wrapped in linen strapped to his back.

"A-are you Hadi? Mister Pestis told me he was supposed to meet me somewhere along the river."

A smile passed over the feline's features. "Ah, beautiful, royal, _and_ intelligent. It is an indescribable pleasure to make your acquaintance, Princess Amelia. I am Hadi, guide of this land, and I am at your service." He made a polite bowing gesture.

Amelia wasn't sure how to respond. "N-nice to meet you, Mister Hadi. Please- just call me Amelia. There's no need for such formalities."

The cat looked up, seeming a little surprised. "Well, alright then, your highness. I am honoured to offer my services as your escort to the meeting place that Master Pestis has arranged. I've made sure to provide you with a weapon, in case we're to meet up with any nasty Mazoku."

"Is that a sword?" Amelia pointed.

"Yes; of the highest quality. Only the best for royalty, you know."

"Er, well… that's awfully kind of you, but… I usually prefer to fight with my fists rather than with weaponry."

Hadi jerked in surprise, and looked a little embarrassed. "O-oh my! I didn't realise it! My apologies, your highness! I'll keep the sword with me, then. Do remember that it's here if you ever wish to use it, but I certainly won't impose upon you if you have your own method of fighting. Master Pestis' message did say that you were quite self-sufficient."

"That's awfully kind of you, Mister Hadi. Is that alright, though? It's not too heavy for you, is it?" The sword seemed as though it positively dwarfed the poor cat.

"Please, don't worry about me. It's nothing I can't handle! Besides, it's rude to ask a lady to carry something when there is a man to carry it for her, isn't it?"

Amelia giggled, finding it funny that the cat was referring to himself as a 'man.' "Well, thank you, Mister Hadi." She looked up and stared upstream. "Do you know how much further the bridge is?"

"Not far- we should be there by nightfall. We'll probably even be able to camp on the other side." Hadi replied, beginning to bound along the river's edge. "Do tell me if I'm going too fast for you, your highness. My master insisted on a fast pace, as the situation is quite dire, but I can't bear the thought of tiring a lady such as yourself."

"Don't worry! The sooner we get to the bridge, the better!" Amelia responded, her enthusiasm having returned. "I'll feel so much better once I'm on the same side of this barrier as Zelgadis."

"Zelgadis, hmm?" Hadi commented. "Master Pestis did mention someone by that name. I'll certainly be eager to learn more about this person that you both speak so highly of… but that's something to discuss while we're travelling. We can't waste daylight!"

* * *

(A/N: …Pestis will be a Zel/Amelia shipper until the end of time. Like, seriously, he will go down with that ship. Hahaha… uh…)


	17. Home is Where the Heart Is

Hello, all! As usual, I'll cut to the chase and say that I don't own anything; I'm just a fan writing some fiction! Do enjoy!

**17- Home is Where the Heart Is**

"Are you sure that Hadi got your message?"

Zelgadis trudged after Pestis, trying to stay on the path, though the thin dirt road was more muddy than the surrounding ground, so he sometimes had to step around large puddles in places. They had since left the river's edge and were heading in the direction of the mountains. One tall composite cone stood amidst the other rugged monoliths, easily recognizable by its shape. The chimera had commented about how conspicuous a volcano it was, but Pestis had only thanked him, as though practically inviting your enemies to come steal your belongings was something to be proud of.

"I'm sure he has. He and Amelia are probably almost to the bridge already. We'll get these pesky Mazoku out of here, meet our friends on the western slope, and head back to Seyruun. Trust me."

"Oh, it's not that I don't." Zelgadis assured the professor. "It's just that things never work out that easily. Plans are great and all, but they only take you so far."  
"Aw, c'mon, Zelgadis! When are you going to start thinking positive?"

"How about when you start being realistic?"

Pestis smirked, amused by his friend's reply. "Touché."

Zelgadis raised an eyebrow. "Is everything a compliment with you?"

"Mostly. It's much easier that way. I don't like to hold grudges against people." The professor shrugged.

"I thought you said that you hated Hellmaster Phibrizzo."

"Phibrizzo isn't a person, he's a _demon_ and I can't stand even the thought of him!" Pestis bristled. "But... even if I say I do, I don't hate him. Hate takes too much energy- it saps the life out of everything it touches, and if it consumes a person, they might never recover." The professor looked over at Zelgadis with a much calmer expression. "Can you promise me that, no matter what happens, you'll never hate me?"

Zelgadis was a little taken aback by the request. "Wh-why would I ever hate you? That's absurd! I may be a little mad at you for keeping secrets, and annoyed that you constantly tease me about Amelia, but I don't hate you. I couldn't."

Pestis smiled gratefully and dug his hands into his pockets. "It's cold." he commented with a shiver. "Maybe it will snow."

"I certainly hope not. That'll just slow Amelia down. Besides, we were dressed for the cold and dampness of the ruins, but it's not enough for winter weather."

Zelgadis glanced up at the sky. "This whole world… I know it was made as a haven, but it just seems so forbidding… it's similar to our world, but it's not…"

"It's not home to you." Pestis spoke up. "To all the astral beings who live here, it isn't foreign at all… but to you, who're so far away from your home, it probably does seem forbidding." The professor looked over at him. "…Where _is_ your home, Zelgadis?"

"I don't have a home."

"Oh, that can't be. Everyone has a home."

"Not me." The chimera shook his head. "I'm a vagabond. I haven't had a real home in years."

"A home doesn't have to be a house, Zelgadis. It's the place where you're most comfortable- where you feel like you are most yourself." Pestis gave him a timid smile. "Surely there's somewhere you can think of where your home is."

"You think?" Zelgadis questioned, glancing at him sceptically.

"Why don't you ponder it for a moment? I'll be patient. We still have a long way to go."

Zelgadis sighed and closed his eyes for a moment, though he found that probably wasn't a good idea as he inadvertently stepped in a deep puddle, soaking the bottom of his pants with frigid, muddy water.

"…home… I wonder…"

Pestis kept his thoughts to himself for a while, beginning to hum a tune with his deep legato voice echoing through the area. It was almost dark by this point, and the clouds had cleared enough to show a patchwork of stars above the travellers' heads.

"I think I've got it."

Pestis looked up once he heard Zelgadis speak. "What?"

"My home. I think I've figured it out… sort of."

A big smile crossed the professor's face. "Really? Oh, what is it? What is it? Wait! Let me guess!" Pestis ran over beside Zelgadis. "It wouldn't happen to be by the side of that lovely young princess we recently parted ways with earlier, would it?"

Zelgadis rolled his eyes. "You wish. I'm being serious here."

Pestis pouted a little. "I was being serious too. I though you loved her."

"I never said I didn't. I meant that your guess wasn't what I'd had in mind." the chimera corrected. "My home… I think it would be with a good book-"

"Aww, a _book_? That's no fun!"

"Will you just listen to me? You're the one who asked me this question!" Zelgadis was getting a little frustrated, so he took a deep breath and continued. "…with a good book, that I can read just for the sake of reading. Or outside on a path that I can walk just because I want to spend a nice afternoon appreciating nature. Somewhere I don't feel like I need to be doing something or searching for something. For years I've been on a relentless search for something that seems to be out of my grasp, and… I just… I'd like, for once, to feel like I can just do something I want to do without any other motivation behind it."

"You want freedom." Pestis breathed. "Your home is wherever you're free. Somewhere that you're not filled with obsession or the compulsion to search…"

"…search for my cure." The chimera let out a long sigh.

"Y'know, if you want to stop being held prisoner to your relentless search for a cure, you should just do it." Pestis commented, not even turning to look at Zelgadis. "I don't see what's holding you back."

"I can't just give up." Zelgadis replied.

"Why not? You want to."

"I didn't say I wanted to give up. I said I wanted to be free of this. Giving up implies that it's defeated me. Being free implies that _I've_ defeated _it_."

Pestis seemed to mull it over for a moment. "Then why not defeat it?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're so eager to be free- to defeat it. Then wouldn't setting yourself free be defeating it just as much as finding your cure would be defeating it? Perhaps even moreso- if you never stop looking for your cure, you'll miss out on a lot of wonderful things."

"Miss out, huh?" Zelgadis glanced up at the clouds, not sure which he was more afraid of- resigning himself to never finding a cure, or resigning himself to never actually living his life the way he wanted to.

"Yeah. If you never let yourself free, you'll never truly be home anywhere. You just told me where your home is, and if you stay obsessed with what holds you captive, you'll never get there." The professor smiled encouragingly. "Maybe your life won't be perfect, but no one's is. Your home is within your grasp if you'll just let yourself reach out to it. Just set yourself free, Zelgadis."

The chimera smiled a little. "You wouldn't… be trying to convince me of this just to get out of your end of our deal, would you, professor?"

Pestis looked a little baffled for a moment, and then a look of shock came over his face. "Z-Zelgadis! How could you think something like that?! Of course not! Besides, after what I've put you through with these ruins, any services I might have given you are completely free- I'm not going to ask for any help with the gemstone whatsoever. Don't worry yourself over that!"

"I was… just teasing you. I know you mean no harm." Zelgadis replied. "A-and really, you've been a great help. This sort of thing happens to me a lot, actually, so it's really not that much trouble. I'll help you find that gemstone you're looking for, I promise. Just… we have to get out of this crazy dimension first."

Pestis gave the chimera an awed look. "Th-thank you." he whispered. "Really, thank you. I do promise you, you don't owe me anything, and I-"

"I'm not going to be helping you because I owe you. I'm going to help you because you're my friend."

The professor closed his eyes wistfully. "…friend… friend… friend…" He kept saying it over and over, as though he couldn't get enough of the way the word sounded. "…I have friends. At long, long last, I have friends again…" He stopped and looked up at Zelgadis. "That's my home, you know."

"Where?" Zelgadis blinked.

"With friends, of course."

The chimera nodded in response. "Ah. That makes sense. To some degree, I think that is everyone's home."

Pestis' eyes glinted with happiness. "I think you're right."

* * *

"So then he stole the jar and ran away with it, thinking that he could somehow convince Rezo to give up the secrets of turning his body back to normal… but Rezo wouldn't tell him. Instead, he insisted that there was no way to turn Zelgadis back- and that's when he went completely crazy. It was so scary… to see him like that…"

"What happened then?" Hadi asked with concern in his voice, seeing that the pause in his companion's narrative had been caused by the resurfacing of old fears. "Did he break the jar?"

Amelia shook her head. "No. Mister Pokota stole the jar before Zelgadis could do anything with it, and ran off to Taforashia to revive the Red Priest."

"And was he revived?"

"Yes, he was."

"Did he ever tell Zelgadis a way to get his body back?"

"No, I'm afraid not."

"Ah, that's too bad." Hadi shook his head. "But, if you don't mind, this Zelgadis fellow really shouldn't."

"I know, but… I just can't convince him that he's truly wonderful the way he is. I don't know whether he truly grasps my feelings toward him."

"And what exactly _are_ your feelings toward him?" Hadi pressed curiously.

"Well, the thing is, I real- oh! Hey! Isn't that the bridge?!" Amelia jumped suddenly in recognition of their destination. "Oh, we're so close! Hurry up, Mister Hadi!"

Amelia didn't care how many puddles she splashed in, she was just eager to get on the same side of the barrier as her companions. It was a horrible feeling, knowing that she was separated from them by a wall of magic that she couldn't break.

The bridge was just as Pestis had described it- no more than a few boards strung together with some ropes. The wood looked rather unsteady in places, and so Amelia decided to heed the professor's advice and use a levitation spell to cross the bridge instead. She chanted the incantation and began making her way across the bridge, finally coming to rest on the ground on the other side of the river. The princess looked around her and sighed in relief. It didn't look any different from the other side of the river, but it was certainly a relief just to be there. She turned to call to Hadi, but saw that he had already crossed the bridge on foot.

Of course. He was a cat, after all, and probably didn't weigh very much.

"Excellent job, your highness! You're very good at magic."

"Oh, you mean the Levitation spell? That was nothing!" Amelia enthused. "I can do so much more than that!" She took a deep breath and collapsed onto the ground underneath a tree, where the ground wasn't quite as wet from the rain. Hadi gave a flick of his tail, and the branches of the trees overhead grew together to make a canopy, while the grass underfoot grew longer and interwove to create a more comfortable space to lie on.

"Oh wow! This is incredible!" Amelia admired Hadi's handiwork with a delighted smile. "I shouldn't have any trouble falling asleep here. I'm exhausted!"

"Time is different in this dimension than in yours." Hadi replied.

"I know. It was the middle of the night back home when I came here, but when we arrived, it was daytime. I haven't slept in so many hours…" She lowered her head to the ground and already seemed to be half asleep.

"Good night, your highness."

"But… with Zelgadis…" Amelia suddenly spoke up. "…I don't think… he really understands... how much I love him…"

"Quite a lot, I gather?" Hadi curled up at Amelia's feet. "Have you told him this?"

"I have once, but it was sort of more of a defensive strategy against Mazoku than a true confession. He doesn't seem to like the concept of love very much. Zelgadis is a very stoic person, and likes to keep his emotions hidden away. He thinks it'll make him weak, y'know?"

"I know someone much like that; yes." Hadi closed his eyes and nodded. "A person with an icy soul that needs defrosting. Usually it's the strong, leader-types that are like that."

"Oh, Zelgadis is certainly strong, and a leader too." Amelia murmured. "And he's so smart. I don't understand how he can't comprehend the fact that love makes you stronger, not weaker. True love is something that can't be destroyed- not by anything in the world, because it's the strongest force in the world. Real power doesn't come from magic- it comes from love."

"You're quite the young romantic, your highness." Hadi commented, flicking his tail back and forth amusedly.

"It's true, though. I just don't know how to get Zelgadis to see it…"

"Why don't you try telling him outright?"

Amelia sat up a little and blinked. "Huh? What do you mean?"

"Princess, your friend may be a chimera, but, at his core, he is still human. He can't read emotions like Mazoku can. I can read how much you love him, but he can't. That's why he must be told. If you never communicate it to him, how will he know?"

Amelia took a deep breath. "…you know, that's a good point. As observant and perceptive as he is… everyone needs someone to point out things for them now and again." She lowered herself back onto the mat of grass, her eyes closing as she surrendered to sleep with a smile on her face.

"I'll… certainly… have to tell him…"

* * *

(A/N: Sorry; this one was a little sappy. We'll get to some action in the next chapter. ^_^)


	18. Getting Into Hot Water

Hello everyone! I hope that you had a most wonderful Valentine's day! Me? Ah, that's not the issue. Here is another chapter; rather lacking in romance for the occasion, I'm afraid, but that'll come later. As with every update, I don't own anything- Slayers, or any other references made- I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

**18- Getting Into Hot Water**

"Your highness! Wake up, wake up! It's daylight and we must be moving along. If we don't, then it will take even longer to catch up to the others, and I'm sure that Master Pestis and your beloved wouldn't want that."

Amelia groaned and sat up groggily as she heard Hadi's voice calling her. She'd slept well, but it wasn't enough. The soft sound of precipitation hitting the branches of the trees above her made its way to her ears.

"Is it raining, Mister Hadi? It feels too cold." Amelia rubbed her eyes and looked around.

"Snowing, actually. It started earlier this morning." The small feline creature was looking out onto the white landscape. It was actually quite beautiful in Amelia's mind- the trees were dusted in snow and it seemed like no one had walked on it yet- it was a perfect blanket of white.

The princess pulled herself to her feet, the springy mat of woven grass bouncing under her feet. If she didn't get moving, there was no way that she was going to keep warm.

"This snow is going to slow us down so much more." Amelia murmured sadly.

"Not the way I was planning to travel." Hadi replied. He gestured over to a small mug and plate that had been set down on the grass.

"Is that for me?" Amelia pointed to herself in confusion.

"Well, you have more use for tea and a biscuit than I do." Hadi smiled amusedly. "It's not much, but I thought you'd like something sweet in your system to warm you up and get you moving."

Amelia hadn't realised how hungry she was. The last thing she could remember ingesting was the Jasmine tea that Mirna had served them the previous day. Hadi was right, it wasn't much, but the tea was warm and the biscuit was sweet, and they at least helped her to feel like she had more energy than before.

"Thank you so much, Mister Hadi."

"Oh, your highness, you don't have to thank me. My master told me to take good care of you, and that's just what I aim to do. Now, let's get moving. The sooner we can reach that volcano, the better. Do you know the spell Ray Wing?"

"Yes, of course I do." Amelia perked up. "But, Ray Wing? Can you fly like that?"

"No, but I still have a feeling you'll be the one trying to catch up to me." Hadi chuckled softly. Amelia gave him a perplexed look, but he just turned his back to her. "Are you ready, your highness?"

"More than ready." Amelia nodded. She was about to say something else, but suddenly, the cat that she'd been watching disappeared before her eyes. The princess blinked for a moment before she realised that he was carving a trail through the snow.

_Wow! He can run fast! No wonder Mister Pestis chose him to help me!_

"RAY WING!" she chanted, flying as fast as she could in order to catch up to the cat. Finally, after a few minutes of flying down the path, she was able to get close enough to talk to him.

"Mister Hadi, you're amazing! Being able to run as fast as a person can travel by Ray Wing… you're like my friend Gourry!"

"Gourry _Gabriev_? Really?" the cat chuckled. "My, what a compliment. To think that I'd be skilled enough to be compared to the former Swordsman of Light! I am most humbled, your highness."

Amelia smiled at his response. "I appreciate all you're doing for me- and all of your advice. You had a lot of good things to say last night. I… I look forward to following your advice when I see Zelgadis again. I think you made a really good point, and I hope that he will be able to understand my feelings a bit better if I'm more articulate."

"It's always worth a shot. You seem like such an intelligent young woman, I can't imagine that you'd have any trouble accurately putting your thoughts into words. Now… would you care to race this old Mazoku to that big mountain on the horizon over there?"

Amelia giggled at the thought of it. "Whatever you say, Mister Hadi!"

* * *

The volcano was like an enormous pillar of dark rock, jutting out from the landscape. In the dimness of twilight, the eerie red glow of various lava flows oozing down the sides felt like an ominous warning of hard times to come. It didn't exactly help to comfort Zelgadis.

"Here it is." Pestis grinned, looking up at the mountain proudly. "Mount Doom."

Zelgadis turned and looked at the professor with scepticism. "…_really_?"

"What? I am a fan of literature, don't forget." Pestis wagged his finger chidingly. "Ah, but you're right. That's not really the name of the mountain. I just thought of that on the spot."

"Then what's the real name?"

"It doesn't have one."

"No name?"

"Yep." Pestis was quiet for a moment, and then turned to Zelgadis with a wink. "Then I guess we could name it after a legendary hero and call it 'No-man." The professor chuckled to himself, as though this were the funniest idea he had ever come up with.

Zelgadis rolled his eyes. "Where do you get the time to read all of these books?"

"Several thousand years gives you lots of time to seek out good reading material." Pestis winked, and then turned back to the mountain, his demeanour becoming serious again. "We're probably going to have some difficulty navigating this mountain, with the snow on it. We'll just have to get up the slope. I think that ledge up there-" The professor reached up and pointed. "-is where we wanted to meet Amelia and Hadi."

"The Western face, right?" Zelgadis nodded his head.

"Yep." Pestis smiled. "At least… I think."

"You _think_?"

"Just trust me, Zelgadis." Pestis laughed. "Now we've just got to scale this wall here! Let's go!" The professor ran up to the huge wall of rock that was jutting out towards them, and gripped one it with one hand, testing to make sure that his handhold was secure. "I think I've got this, Zelgadis! It'll be easy to climb up!"

Zelgadis watched with a mix of disbelief and amusement. It was the strangest thing he'd ever seen, but it was sort of funny, watching the small man trying to pull himself up the nearly vertical cliff face.

"The easiest way to climb a nearly vertical cliff…" Pestis began, pausing mid-sentence as he fumbled for sturdy handholds "…is to make sure that you weight is evenly distributed… amongst your feet and hands… so that, if you were to lose your grip… then you would still be able to keep from fa-" Unfortunately, he clearly wasn't heeding his own advice, as the handhold that he was leaning on crumbled and he was left falling down to the ground far below.

The professor let out a yelp, expecting to tumble down to the rocks below, but ended up meeting a far different sort of rock.

"Whoa! Careful, there!" Zelgadis caught the small man in plenty of time before he hit the ground, levitating up the rock face rather than climbing it. "You know that you could've just taken the easy way up, right?" The chimera scolded as he and the professor made it to the top of the cliff.

"Ah, but levitating isn't the fun way." Pestis gave a sheepish smile. "Thanks for helping me, though."

"If you break your neck on this trip, I'm not going to say I didn't warn you." Zelgadis sighed, crossing his arms. "You really are insane, you know that?"

"Aw, hey. I was just trying to give Amelia and Hadi time to catch up, y'know?"

"Yeah, I figured. That's why I didn't complain about walking all this way." Zelgadis replied. "Now, where are we supposed to set up camp? This is just an exposed rock face- and it's still snowing.

Pestis stood up, brushing snow off of his cloak. "Oh, that's easy. We can set up a camp over here in this nice little ca- uh… where is the cave? It should be right here…?"

Pestis moved around the ledge for a few minutes before turning back to Zelgadis. He pressed his fingers together nervously.

"Ah… Zelgadis? I have good news and bad news. Which would you like to hear first?"

Zelgadis rolled his eyes, having expected this. "Bad news."

"That's the right answer." Pestis replied. "The bad news is that... I got a little twisted around when we were approaching the mountain. we're actually... on the eastern face."

Zelgadis groaned, burying his face in his palm. He should've seen that one coming.

"And the good news?"

"Well, you see, there's a tunnel that goes straight through the mountain. We can walk through instead of going around."

Zelgadis was a bit lost by this point. "You know that it's an active volcano, right?"

"Zelgadis, I built this volcano. I'd think that I would know."

"Just checking." The chimera was a little sceptical of walking straight through a volcano, but... it seemed that Pestis wasn't worried at all. That, at least, must be a good sign, right?

"So, where is this tunnel?" Zelgadis asked. "Is it another one of those magic doors that you've shown us in this world?"

Pestis smiled, pulling open a door on the side of the cliff face. "You're getting awfully good at this."

Zelgadis smirked as he followed Pestis inside. "I've always been a fast learner."

* * *

"It's actually an old vent where magma was drawn away from the main vent of the volcano. Now that I've moved most of the lava flows to the other vents, it's safe enough to traverse. We'll take it all the way back to the main vent- which is where we can access the area where the vessels are stored, incidentally- and exit out another side vent that leads to the western face where we'll be meeting the others."

Pestis was quite talkative as they made their way down the tunnel. The grade got fairly steep in places, but Zelgadis simply slowed down. He didn't want to reach out to touch the walls, as they were glowing red- a sign that whatever was behind them was superheated. Magma was really nothing but melted rock, and Zelgadis didn't want any part of him to become part of the rock cycle. He shuddered at the very thought.

"Pestis, what's behind these walls?"

"Ah, active vents. Why?"

"Just checking." Zelgadis replied. "I wouldn't want to accidentally grab hold of a wall and get my hand turned into magma, right?"

"Well, now, that does sound unpleasant." Pestis murmured to himself. "At least the floor beneath us is not above any active vents. It might be melting away the soles of our shoes." The professor laughed loudly, as though that were a funny thought. Zelgadis merely looked around in shock, coming to the disturbing realisation that they were inside an _active volcano_.

"We're both insane. You do realise this, right?" the chimera spoke up.

Pestis stopped mid-stride and turned around to face Zelgadis.

"Now, excuse me? What was that?"

"Professor, we're inside a volcano for goodness' sake! How much more insane can you get?!"

"Zelgadis, you're only in this volcano because you followed me." Pestis replied. "And, though my insanity is common knowledge, you are not even remotely what one could consider insane. You're the most sane person I've ever met, Zelgadis!"

"Would a sane person follow an insane person inside a volcano?" Zelgadis responded pointedly.

"You did it out of trust." Pestis responded. "That is the most sane thing anyone can do." He let his eyes fall to the ground. "Someone who is insane... well, they can't really let themselves trust anyone. That's why... ever since I met you and Amelia..." The professor allowed his eyes to venture back up to meet Zelgadis'. "...I feel like you two have given me some of my sanity back. It's the best feeling in the world, to truly trust someone, and I've got you to thank for giving it back to me again. So... don't ever call yourself insane, Zelgadis. Don't even think it; not even for a moment."

Zelgadis stared at the man for a long moment. He then crossed his arms indignantly.

"Now, wait just a minute! What makes you think you have the right to be yelling at me about trust issues?! Do you have any idea what kind of trust issues _I've_ been though?! Do you know how utterly long it took me to be able to trust someone again after losing trust in the person that I trusted the most-?!" The chimera stopped short, seeing the look in the professor's eyes. "...you _do_ know, don't you?"

"And I know that you're not too far gone, Zelgadis. You lost your trust, yes, but you never let yourself lose your sanity. Even when you thought you'd lost it, it was always there with you. You just had to find it again."

Zelgadis closed his eyes and sighed. "But wouldn't that be the same for you? You're not insane. Maybe you say you are, but from the day I first met you, I never thought that you might be insane."

"You never thought that I was a failed Mazoku experiment either." Pestis winked at him.

"Well, I knew there was _something_ different about you."

"Hah! Different! Yes, there's the right word. I suppose it fits, though. There's something different about you too, y'know."

"Thanks for shoving it in my face like everyone else." Zelgadis scoffed.

"Well, y'see, that's the difference between us." Pestis crossed his arms behind his back and continued strolling down the tunnel.

"Uh, what do you mean?"

"Well, you're a human on the inside, but you want to be human on the outside. Me, I look human on the outside, but I... I want to be human for real. You... have something that I want, and I..."

"Have something I want." Zelgadis gave a sigh. "What a tricky situation."

"But, I don't think we'd be happy being in each others' shoes either." Pestis added. "We both want to be human through and through, so giving what we have to one another wouldn't solve anything." The professor scratched the back of his head. "If... that were even possible... which it's not... but... uh... I'm going to stop talking now, since I figure we both know what I'm trying to get at."

To the professor's relief, Zelgadis began to laugh. "Y'know, you're right. Self-pity is just a waste of time. I've learned that lesson too many times to delve back into it now."

Pestis smiled. "That's the spirit, Zelgadis! Just a little bit further, and we'll be at the central vent! That's the halfway point!"

"Ah, yes, the fiery pit full of molten rock that could kill us. What a lovely halfway point."

Pestis looked amused and make a 'tsk' noise, wagging his finger back and forth. "Volcanoes are life-giving. Volcanic soil is extremely fertile for growing plants, you know."

"Yep. It's a pity you're not a plant, professor. You seem to have the brains of one."

The professor and chimera both spun around in an instant. Zelgadis' sword was drawn before either party had time to speak.

"Lavi! You were just waiting for us here, weren't you?"

The Mazoku laughed. "You thought I'd want to wander around your magic-blocking maze forever? I just needed someone to show me around. It looks like I've found two lovely tour guides, what do you think?"

"I think... not!" Pestis jumped backwards, creating a crack in the wall between himself and Lavi. Glowing molten rock began flowing out of the crack, moving much faster than the dark, thick lava that could be seen on the sides of the mountain. Lavi yelped, seeing the obstacle suddenly placed in her way. Pestis grabbed Zelgadis and pulled him away.

"Zelgadis, you've got to run! Continue down this pathway until you reach a large, open space. From there, the tunnel you need to take is exactly straight across the room from where this tunnel exits. There'll be a fork in it; you need to take a left and you'll end up where we agreed to meet Hadi and Amelia. I'll stay here and fight Lavi."

"Are you su-?"

"Don't worry about me! Just go already!"

Seeing that Pestis was serious (and that the magma was getting closer to them), Zelgadis ran as fast as he could down the tunnel.

"Follow whatever instructions Hadi gives you! I'll meet up with the three of you as soon as I can!"

Though Pestis couldn't see him, Zelgadis just nodded. There wasn't time for any other answer.

* * *

(A/N: Aha; bonus points if you recognised Pestis' literary references! And, interestingly enough, it actually snowed on me today, which is strange, because the area that I live in hardly ever gets snow- this is the first snowfall we've had in 2 years, I believe. It didn't really accumulate, but I still got some nice pictures of flowers with snow on them. ^^;)


	19. Hit The Ground Running

…Funny, I was so sure that I'd already posted chapter 19, but I went to double check, and there it wasn't. Dear me, I did not want to put this story on hiatus, but it ended up happening anyway! I'm going to get to work from now on, though- sorry for the long absence. I'm determined to get this story finished, and that's what I'm going to work toward! As per usual, I don't own anything- I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Do enjoy!

**19- Hit The Ground Running**

"Th-the mountain... it's so big!" Amelia exclaimed, staring up at it in awe.

"This is the western side. Master Pestis told us to meet up on the cliff face up there. He and Zelgadis are probably waiting for us up there already." Hadi replied. "We should start up no-" The guide stopped speaking suddenly, as a shriek from Amelia cut him off.

"Oh, Mister Hadi! There's lava pouring down the sides!"

"Well, yes. It is a volcano, your highness."

"B-b-but... I didn't think it was an _active_ volcano! And Mister Pestis wanted us to meet _on_ it?"

"Your highness, surely you do trust the professor enough to expect that he has everything under control, don't you?" Hadi jumped up and perched on a large rock so that he was almost at eye level with the princess. "Besides, I'm here to protect you. My master has absolutely insisted that I get you to those vessels safe and sound. And surely your Zelgadis will be there to keep you safe."

Amelia crossed her arms indignantly. "Even if you are supposed to be guarding me, you don't have to baby me, Mister Hadi. I'm just as strong as any of you. My worry is that one of you is going to get hurt. I'm not worried about myself. That would be selfish and unjust."

Hadi bowed. "My apologies, your highness. We should get moving- can't keep the others waiting, you know.'

Amelia sighed, staring up at the molten rock in apprehension. "I suppose so."

* * *

Zelgadis could feel the tunnel heating up around him. Now that Pestis had opened it to the surrounding vents of magma, the relatively cool (well, y'know, for inside a volcano, of course) temperatures were being raised. The chimera only hoped it wouldn't get hot enough to burn a human like Amelia. There was only so much their magic could do to keep her cool in this heat.

The chimera could feel that he was nearly to the central vent, and there was a visible widening in the tunnel ahead of him. He was about to run out into the centre of the large open area, but stopped short with a horrified gasp.

There was no floor.

At the place where the tunnel stopped, so did the floor he was walking on.

Zelgadis peered down the edge of the central vent. He could see a vast chamber of bubbling magma not too far beneath him, but there was nothing solid to stand on in order to cross. Directly across the enormous central vent, the chimera could see another tunnel- the one that Pestis had instructed him to take. However, getting there was likely not going to be easy.

"I'm going to take a bet that there'll be quite a lot of heat rising from that magma chamber. An updraft that size would really mess with a Ray Wing spell... so I guess a Levitation spell is my only choice."

Closing his eyes to make sure he didn't look down as he flew out over the magma chamber, he chanted the incantation.

"_Levitation_!"

Except, nothing happened.

Zelgadis' eyes snapped open and he frantically looked around. Why hadn't that worked?

"_Levitation_!"

Nope. Nothing. His feet didn't even move a centimetre off the ground.

"Wh-what the...? I don't understand! Why can't I cast Levitation?!" Zelgadis kicked the ground in frustration. "RAY WING!"

Unsurprisingly, that didn't work either.

The memory of something Lavi had said a few minutes earlier vied for Zelgadis' attention amidst his muddled thoughts.

"Didn't that Mazoku say something about a magic-blocking maze? Is that why I can't cast any spells?"

The chimera cursed inwardly. If this space negated magic, then he was stuck in a tough situation. There didn't seem to be any conceivable way to get across the huge central vent, and they were likely running out of time.

"C'mon, Zelgadis, think! Pestis built this- surely he would've made some way to get across. I just have to figure it out."

"It could be possible that something along the walls of the tunnel might trigger some sort of bridge... but I don't know what it would be. Considering his past... it's probably something kind of silly, or related to a book. I know he likes fantasy and adventure stories... Aaah, this makes no sense at all!"  
Zelgadis kicked the ground again, loosening one of the rocks from the floor and sending it careening over the side, making a small splash as it melted into the magma below.

...at least, that's what Zelgadis _thought_ it would do. However, once it left the side of the tunnel, it skidded out into the middle of the vent and sat, seeming to float in mid-air. Zelgadis blinked in surprise.

_Wait... is there a floor there?_

The chimera kicked another rock free, sending it out into the central vent. It was larger and didn't go as far, but it still sat on the same level as the other rock he'd kicked.

"An invisible floor...? Of course!"

Zelgadis mentally both praised and cursed Pestis for creating something so simple and yet so impossible to figure out. He reached a foot down until he felt something solid beneath it. Little by little, he shifted his weight down onto the invisible floor until he was standing on it. The chimera walked forward- slowly at first, as he wanted to make sure that the floor wouldn't give out on him- and made his way over to the tunnel opposite the one he'd exited from. The invisible floor had seemed sturdy enough, but he felt a hundred times better one he'd gotten back onto ground he could actually see.  
And now that he'd made it back onto rocky ground, he could run.

"Professor Nisery... you'd better have given me the right directions..."

* * *

"Mister Hadi, is this really the place?" Amelia looked around in concern. "I don't see Zelgadis or Mister Pestis anywhere."

"This is definitely where he said to meet." Hadi murmured, looking around. "I don't understand. We moved really fast, but I haven't seen them. Could we possibly have gotten here before them?"

"Maybe." Amelia sighed and sat down. "We should wait for them."

"I don't know, your highness. Perhaps we ought to venture further into the mountain. It could be possible that I'd misheard the instructions."

"_Into_ the mountain?!" The princess scrambled to her feet "It's bad enough that we're standing on the side of a volcano- we're not going inside!"

"But, your highness, the vessels- the only way to get you back to your world- are inside the volcano.'  
Amelia frowned and looked at the rock wall in trepidation. "But... how do we get inside? We can't break in... lava might spew out at us."

"There should be a tunnel around here somewhere. Help me look for it, will you?' Hadi moved up and down the wall, examining it as though he might find evidence of the door written there.

Amelia placed her ear to the side of the wall and moved along it, knocking on it to see whether or not it would make a hollow sound. That had always seemed to be the way that Lina had searched for hidden passages when they'd explored ancient ruins. The sorceress' lust for treasure suddenly was proving invaluable now that they actually had to put some of the techniques to use.

The princess finally reached one place on the wall that sounded suspicious. She knocked on it a few times, listening intently. She waited a few moments, and then all of a sudden there was a strange sound from within.

It sounded like someone was knocking back from the other side of the wall.

"Uh... Mister Hadi...? There's something odd about this... I think there might be a door here. I knock on the wall and it knocks back."

"It does _what_?"

Amelia pointed to the door apprehensively. "It… it knocks back… I think. How do we open it?"

"Well…" Hadi bounded over to Amelia and looked up at the door. "I suppose that it opens inward, but I don't want to end up blasting a hole where there shouldn't be one."

Amelia jumped back from the rock face a few steps. "M-maybe we shouldn't, then. We have no idea what'll come out of there if we open it."

"Especially if there's something knocking back." Hadi added. "It might be something we don't want to face."

"Well, a Warrior of Justice has to be brave and take chances sometimes." The princess struck a defensive pose. "I'm going to blast the door open."

"W-wait! Your highness! You know that I can't let anything happen to you! My master will-"

"Don't worry so much, Mister Hadi. I'll be fine. Whatever is behind that door is no match for a strong-hearted Warrior of Justice, I promise you that!"

Hadi looked a little baffled, but he gave a brief nod and stepped out of the way, not wanting to be caught up in whatever struggle the reckless princess was going to start.

"Okay… I can do this…" she breathed to herself. "One… two… th-"

"Oh, so _that's_ how it opens. I'll have to give my regards to Pestis for hiding the latch so well."

"…th-three…?" Amelia's spell died in her fingertips as she stared in surprise. The door had finally been opened from the inside, but it wasn't by the person she'd expected to see. "Zelgadis?! Was that _you_ knocking on the other side of the door?"

"I couldn't find the latch on this thing. It's all made of rock." Zelgadis apologised. "I figured it was probably you knocking on the door, wondering where in the world we were. Sorry for being late- Pestis has a bad sense of direction- or maybe he was just giving you extra time to catch up."

"ZELGADIS!" Amelia didn't respond at all to his apologies, throwing herself to hug him instead. The chimera stumbled backwards for a moment, reaching out to steady himself against the rock wall, not expecting to suddenly have the princess' full weight around his neck. "Oh, I missed you so much!" she enthused. "I was so very worried about you!"

"Hey now, isn't that my line?" Zelgadis finally steadied himself enough to lean forward and place Amelia back down on the ground. "But I figured you wouldn't have a hard time getting here. You're pretty good at taking directions."

"And I had Mister Hadi to help me." Amelia smiled, letting go of Zelgadis and turning back to her small companion.

Zelgadis blinked in surprise. "…Hadi? That's him?"

The feline creature jumped down from his perch on the rock and bowed politely for Zelgadis. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Mister Zelgadis. I have heard quite many good things about you."

"Huh; I wonder where you could've heard that." Zelgadis smirked over at Amelia, who gave a sheepish smile.

"Y'know, Zelgadis, I've been meaning to talk to you." Amelia began, though she was looking down at her feet. "The thing is, I… wait a second!" The princess jerked her head up and looked around frantically. "Where is mister Pestis?!"

Zelgadis seemed to be jerked back to attention as well. "H-he's fighting a Mazoku!"

"_What?!_" Amelia stiffened. "Oh no! That's terrible! We've got to go help him-"

"Now, now, your highness, we can't rush into things. Master Pestis probably has the Mazoku under control. What we need to do is remain calm and make sure that you two get back to your own world safe and sound." Hadi interrupted. "Remain calm, alright?"

Zelgadis paused for a moment, but nodded at Hadi. "Pestis told me to follow your instructions."

"Smart man." Hadi quipped. "But don't let your guard down just because I'm the one giving instructions. I need you two to be wary of dangers." He gave Amelia a wink. "That means no making googly eyes or whispering sweet nothings until you're back to Seyruun, alright?"

Amelia's face flashed almost a neon red. "M-Mister Hadi!"

Zelgadis, however, was almost beside himself with laughter. "Well, I can see why you and Pestis are such good friends!"

Hadi flicked his tail back and forth, batting at Zelgadis' leg. "I like your enthusiasm, Mister Zelgadis!"

"That's good. It's usually in much shorter supply than this." Zelgadis gave the feline a pat on the head and motioned into the tunnel, also puzzled at his own lack of restraint. What was it that made him laugh so loudly- was it really that funny? Or was there some other reason…? Something about being near this mountain didn't feel right… like it was messing with his emotions somehow, but he couldn't place his finger on it. It was all the more reason to get out as quickly as possible. "Do you mind if I lead the way, or would you rather be in front?"

"You may lead, if you so wish." Hadi chuckled. "Just so long as you don't get us lost."

"I won't- trust me."

* * *

(A/N: Again, sorry for the delay in getting back to this. I really didn't mean to let this sit for more than two weeks, especially when I've already written up through the next 6 chapters… I appreciate the patience of everyone who has put up with my crazy writing so far! You guys are the best!)


	20. There's No Place Like Home

Oh, hi… again. I'm getting much closer to the end of this story, I promise! I hope you will enjoy it! As per usual, I don't own anything, I'm just a fan having some fun by writing fiction.

* * *

**20- There's No Place Like Home**

Zelgadis led the way down the corridor with Amelia and Hadi following closely behind.

"I don't like it down here. I feel like the walls could close in on us at any moment..." Amelia murmured. "I really don't think we should be in here."

"Me neither, but Pestis didn't seem worried. He wouldn't lead us somewhere if he thought it was dangerous."

"I hope so." Amelia slipped her arm around Zelgadis'. "It's so hot down here. The snow outside seemed so cold before, but now I'd like to run back and bury my face in it."

"I was afraid of that." Zelgadis let out a sigh. "I don't know how we're supposed to keep cool down here- especially since the main vent negates magic..."

"It does?" Amelia dug her heels in, causing Zelgadis to stop and Hadi to bump into her.

"What's wrong, your highness?" Hadi jumped around her feet and looked up at her with a worried expression.

"I... I really don't like this. I'll admit it- this whole thing has me scared stiff. The idea of not having magic makes me feel awfully helpless... I don't like it."

"Amelia, you're a girl. You survive without your magic every-"

"I meant _here_!" It looked like it would be difficult for Amelia's face to get any redder than it was in the heat, but it did. "There's something_ evil _here, Zelgadis!"

There was a long moment of silence, and Amelia's statement hung heavy in the thick air.

"...yes, there is." Zelgadis sighed. "I sense it too."

"That's all the more reason that Master Pestis wants the two of you out of here as quickly as possible, your highness." Hadi placed his front paws on top of her shoe, giving the princess a pleading stare. "You are in grave danger here- but the only way out of this dimension for you is with the help of those vessels, and the only way to the vessels is through here."

Amelia seemed to begrudgingly accept her fate. It wasn't fun to be stuck here with evil, yes, but if it was their only way out, there didn't seem to be any other option.

The princess trudged along beside Zelgadis, fanning herself with her hand, though is wasn't doing much good when the air that you were directing at yourself was just as hot as you were. The group was fairly silent, and no one really wanted to break that silence. There wasn't much to say, after all.

Finally, they came to the end of the tunnel, and Zelgadis scanned the main chamber to see if there was any sign of Pestis or Lavi.

"Zelgadis?" Amelia tugged on his cloak.

"I don't see any sign of them. They must be still fighting in the opposite tunnel…"

"Zelgadis?"

" I'm not sure where to go from here, so I hope that Hadi is familiar with the layout…"

"Zelgadis?"

"I'd sort of like to seek him out and help him, but he asked me to follow your directions, so if you think he'll be fine on his own, then-"

"Zelgadis! Where is the floor?!" Amelia demanded loudly.

The chimera stopped speaking abruptly, realising that Amelia hadn't come by before, and didn't know what he knew about the floor of the main vent.

"Ah, well… it's invisible."

"What?!"

"No, look!" Zelgadis stepped out on to the floor- a little hesitant at first, not sure whether the floor he'd come across before would still be intact. It was, and he easily moved out onto the invisible platform, his arms open to his companions. "See? It's perfectly sturdy."

Amelia frowned, looking somewhat unconvinced, but moved slowly to stand on the invisible platform herself. "Couldn't Mister Pestis have built a volcano with a much prettier floor? Like, marble or something… I wouldn't care, as long as I could see it!"

"I think that something of that nature would be liable to melt from the intense heat below it." Zelgadis replied. "Whatever this invisible floor is made of, it's magic.

"Speaking of magic, I'd feel better if I could cast a Levitation spell." Amelia muttered.

"Yeah, but you can't." Zelgadis added. He turned back around to their guide, who had joined them on the floor. "Now what? Which tunnel leads to the vessels that can get us home?"

"I know the way. Follow me." Hadi's claws made a scraping noise as he moved along the floor, which seemed to reassure Amelia that it was, indeed, solid. "It's not one that you can see- it's hidden on the wall."

"Makes sense." Zelgadis nodded, following after him with Amelia not far behind.

"But there are also many traps beyond it, and I cannot speak for what they might be. I have never been here, you know."

"Of course you haven't- you'd had no reason to, right?" Amelia spoke up.

"I wouldn't say that." Hadi responded. "But now I'm finally brave enough to venture in." He turned and gave the two a smile. "Thanks to you two, that is."

"I don't see what I've done. I just met you." Zelgadis shrugged. "If any one of us has given you confidence, it must have been Amelia. She has that effect on people."

"Oh, I wouldn't say that." Amelia flushed slightly, and then perked up. "I just aim to show people the Justice that exists within their hearts! Any confidence that I might have given a person was really just confidence that they already had. I only helped them see it."

Zelgadis gave a soft smile. "That might be true. Why don't we put that confidence to the test? I think we'll need it for all these traps."

Amelia's smile wavered at the mention of the traps. "Ah… right. The traps."

Zelgadis reached the wall and put a hand on it warily. "Is this the place?" he asked.

"Try here." Hadi instructed, pointing over to a particular place on the wall. "This should be it."

Zelgadis pushed on the wall and nearly fell over. Amelia grabbed the back of his cloak and almost fell over herself, before Hadi clutched the back of her cape in his teeth.

The chimera regained his balance again and looked around at the others. "Sorry about that." he replied. "This door was easier to open than I thought it would be."

"What do you think is in there?" Amelia asked, pointing down the corridor. "In the way of traps, I mean. Is there going to be something awful?"

"Well, knowing that it was made by Pestis, I think that it'll either be something incredibly dangerous..." Zelgadis glanced at Amelia and then back at the tunnel opening. "...or something very silly."

"Only time will tell." Hadi added, moving toward the entrance of the tunnel. "I can lead, if you wish. I'd rather it be me in one of these traps than either of you. You're very important to Master, you know."

"Mister Hadi, you are so sweet." Amelia gave a smile. "But I think it might be best if you let Zelgadis and me handle this. We're seasoned explorers who have had lots of experience with this sort of thing. We know how to disarm traps of all sorts- there's nothing we can't handle! You can count on us!"

Hadi smiled in reply at Amelia's sudden enthusiasm. "Well, then, if you're so sure, then you may indeed lead the way, your highness!"

"Are you sure about this, Amelia?" Zelgadis replied. "You were so apprehensive just a few minutes ago."

"Well, I was reminded that a Warrior of Justice needs to be brave. Courage and cowardice are extremely contagious, and it's important to set a good example for others. I'm sorry I was so jumpy- let's just make sure that we get back to Seyruun safely. Okay?"

"Alright." Zelgadis nodded in response.

* * *

Zelgadis had known that the traps in the tunnel were going to either be extremely well-thought-out and dangerous, or extremely silly and cliché.

It ended up being the latter, and the chimera was sorely disappointed.

He'd been kind of looking forward to navigating difficult traps. But these were all so overused! Seriously- a pit of snakes? A giant rolling stone? Zelgadis felt like he was in a very poorly written adventure story! (Then again, it's likely that he was, but he wasn't going to try tampering with the fourth wall at such a critical moment. Who knew what other kind of silly trap it might set off?)

"These traps aren't so bad." Amelia exclaimed as they came to what looked like a doorway carved out of the rock wall. "Getting back to Seyruun will be a piece of cake!"

"I wouldn't speak too soon, your highness..." Hadi murmured, looking out at the room in front of them. "That floor doesn't look very stable."

The feline was right. The ground in the room in front of them looked as though it were very flimsy, and was clearly glowing with heat. Every few seconds, a place in the floor would crack a little, and steam would vent out with a loud hiss.

"Let's see if we can use magic again." Zelgadis suggested. "We could try levitating over it."

"Levitation!" Amelia exclaimed, waiting for a moment before sighing. "Nope. My magic's still blocked."

Zelgadis tried to cast a spell himself, and came to the same conclusion.

"Darn it all... maybe there's a pathway here, and we just have to find it."

"I'm very light on my feet. Perhaps I should try to lead the way and test out areas for you." Hadi suggested. "If it's not safe, I'll be the one falling in and not you."

"But Mister Hadi, we couldn't make you put yourself in danger for our sake." Amelia protested.

"Nonsense, your highness! Have I not made it clear enough that your safe arrival at the resting place of the magic vessels is my primary objective? I couldn't even think of letting the two of you get hurt along the way! No- I'll lead the way through this dangerous area."

"Your dedication is greatly appreciated, Hadi." Zelgadis gave a bow, feeling odd having to rely on the guidance of a creature that looked like a cat, even though it was clear that he wasn't. The chimera knew the importance of relying on the various skills of different members of a team in order for the success of a mission. "Do you want me to hold on to that sword of yours? It looks awfully heavy."

"Oh, no need for that now, Mister Zelgadis." Hadi responded curtly. "Believe me, this old sword won't be a problem for me to carry at all. Neither of you two need to burden yourselves with it. It was merely here in case Princess Amelia wished to utilize it for her own self-defence, though it's clear that she needs no such weapon, with the powerful magic she wields."

"You can say that again." Zelgadis chuckled.

Hadi stepped out onto the thin ground, reaching forward with one paw. It made a slight cracking noise, but supported his weight for a few steps as he ventured outward. Suddenly, he misstepped and a huge vent of steam opened up in front of him. All of his fur stood on end as he backed up a few steps. A vent of steam opened up behind him, and he jerked forward.

"There might not be any traversable path, you guys!" he called. "I hate to do this to you, but you're going to have to figure a way to get across on your own. I've got your backs!"

Zelgadis sighed in trepidation. He knew that, as a golem chimera, he wasn't exactly light as a feather, and probably had the most chance of falling through.

"Amelia, stay behind me. If this floor will support me, it'll support you. We'll get across if we're very careful."

He could hear Amelia gulp in fright, but she nodded bravely and grabbed his hand.

The loud cracking noise that the ground made as Zelgadis stepped out onto it was nerve-wracking, but still the thin floor help up the chimera and the princess following behind him. They moved very slowly, the floor making loud cracking and hissing noises beneath them.

"I'm torn between keeping my eyes on the ground for fear of misstepping, and not looking down, to keep from being scared." Amelia murmured softly.

"Keep your eyes on the ground." was Zelgadis' response. "It'll keep you from accidentally stepping where you shouldn-"

The ground where Zelgadis placed his foot suddenly collapsed, throwing up an enormous plume of steam. Amelia gave a scream, letting go of Zelgadis' hand and jumping back several feet. The ground cracked underneath her and she screamed again, rushing forward.

"Amelia! Slow down! Stop!" Zelgadis called, but Amelia was already in too much of a panic. Everywhere she ran, a plume of steam was always opening up in front of her or behind her. She was jerking back and forth so much, it seemed as though she ought not to be getting anywhere. Still, Amelia ran, her heart pounding, trying to find somewhere stable on which to stand.

The ground beneath her suddenly gave way and she toppled backwards from the plume of hot air rising from the crack. This cracking noise was louder than any of the others had been, and the ground cracked in all directions, creating small islands of land floating in a sea of bubbling water. The thick smell of sulfur clouded the air, and Amelia choked momentarily, covering her mouth with her hand.

The piece of rock that Zelgadis had been standing on hadn't cracked in half, but it did feel awfully unsteady, and he hopped over to one adjacent to him. That was a bad idea, clearly, as his added weight made it crumble into pieces. He managed to fall over onto another, larger piece, though some of the water splashed up onto it. It wasn't hot enough to scald his thick skin, but it was enough to make him yelp in pain. It felt almost as though he'd been burned- a sensation he hadn't felt in a very long time, and once that he certainly hadn't missed.

"Zelgadis!" Amelia called. "Are you alright?!"

"I'm fine! We've got to get out of here!"

"We can't go back, though! All the ground has broken apart!"

"Your highness! Mister Zelgadis! Over here!" Hadi's voice called out loudly. "I can see some stable ground not too far ahead of us. You must move quickly- I'll go on ahead and guide you!"

"But how do we get there?" Amelia gasped, looking around at the broken pieces of rock floating in the bubbling water.

"I don't know." Zelgadis murmured in frustration. "It's too hot, and I can barely breathe with all the sulfur in the air!"

"Zelgadis!" Amelia hopped over onto the piece of rock that he was on, helping him to his feet. "We'll find a way. This is no time to be getting discouraged. We're almost home again."

"...home..." Zelgadis murmured. Pestis' lecture on the concept of home suddenly seemed so far away, like a dream. The chimera had never thought about home the way that Pestis had talked about it... but now that he had thought about it in that way, he knew exactly where his home ought to be. "Yeah. You're right, Amelia. Let's get home."

The princess' face broke into a smile as she met his gaze. She grabbed his hand and turned around, dragging her with him as the two of them ran as fast as they could over the pieces of the ground that were still afloat in the water. The trick was to move as fast as they could- the less time they spent on one piece of rock, the better. They let go of one another's hands, as it was a bit of a disadvantage to their ability to move quickly and efficiently, but they still managed to stay by one another's sides.

Hadi took a step back as the two arrived on the other side of the large pool of water almost at the same time.

"Ah! Solid ground!" Amelia exclaimed in relief.

"You two need to move quickly." Hadi instructed. "The Mazoku and Master Pestis might be here any second. I'm going to stay back and aid in the fight- you two need to get back to Seyruun!"

"Where do we go?" Amelia asked.

"Down that way- do you see that corridor?" Hadi pointed with his tail. "Go down that corridor and into the room at the end, and it should take you back to Seyruun."

"That's it?" Zelgadis questioned. "Are you sure?"

"Positive! Now go!" Hadi exclaimed. "I wish you both the best of luck! I shall never forget you, I promise!"

"Oh, Mister Hadi, we'll never forget you either." Amelia replied, bending down and giving the cat a small kiss on the forehead. "You've done so much for us."

"I assure you, your highness, it is you who have done so much for me." Hadi bowed and then straightened up abruptly. "Now, no more wasting time! Please! Before those Mazoku get here!"

"Come on, Amelia. No more time for sappy goodbyes." Zelgadis instructed, grabbing Amelia by the shoulder and pulling her down through the corridor that Hadi had pointed out.

"I hope that Mister Pestis and Mister Hadi will be alright." Amelia spoke as she ran.

"I'm sure that they will be." Zelgadis replied, spying a doorway up ahead, just as Hadi had instructed. "I suppose that's the way back?"

"That's what Mister Hadi said." Amelia replied with a nod. The two stopped in front of the doorway and glanced at each other.

"I feel guilty for leaving Pestis with those Mazoku." Zelgadis sighed. "But, after all he went through to get us back to Seyruun, we might as well go."

"We can tell my father what happened. He'll know what to do." Amelia replied.

Zelgadis took a deep breath. "Ready when you are."

"Alright."

The two grabbed each other's hands and stepped through the doorway.

It was an odd sensation, Zelgadis thought, like the falling sensation one gets on the very brink of sleep, when you become alert very nearly before delving into a dream. He opened his eyes and looked around.

"...this place..."

"Zelgadis, it's the wall! Look!" Amelia exclaimed excitedly. There, just as they had left it, was the wall with the Mazoku writing on it.

"And the debris from the column is still over there." Zelgadis pointed. "It's all the same, like we never left. He was right, we really are back in Seyruun. Amelia, we're back!"

"Yes, I know!" Amelia squealed in excitement, throwing her arms around Zelgadis' neck. He returned the hug simply filled with utter relief that they were no longer in the madhouse that was Pestis' alternate dimension.

A loud crack rang through the air, and one of the stalactites above the two broke loose and fell to the floor with a crash. Amelia and Zelgadis separated, staring at it, wondering what that meant.

"Ah... we've been gone quite a while. Your father is probably worried sick. We'd better get back to the palace right away." Zelgadis spoke up.

"...agreed..." Amelia murmured.

* * *

(A/N: Huh… am I really tired, or does this chapter feel really disjointed somehow? I can't put my finger on it, though, so maybe I'm just tired. Oh d-d-dear… I should go back to working on the next chapter already! I've almost finished the story!)


	21. There's No Time Like the Future

Hello, all! I'm still working hard on this, I promise! (Even if I'm kind of later than I'd like to be on updates… sorry for that.) I don't own anything; I'm just a fan having some fun writing fiction. Please enjoy!

* * *

**21- There's No Time Like the Future**

"Does something feel a little off to you?" Zelgadis spoke up as he and Amelia rounded the corners of the long corridor that led back up to the surface. Amelia brightened her lighting spell in order to better observe the surroundings.

"I'm not sure." she replied. "Everything looks the same, as far as I can recall." The princess threw a glance behind them and continued. "What time do you think it is?"

"Time?" Zelgadis responded. "When we left the dimension, it was late evening there… but I don't think the times match up. After all, we were transported there in the middle of the night, but it was midday there- I think, judging by how long it took to get dark."

"So the times are opposite, then? Therefore, if it was evening there, it should be morning here?" Amelia suggested.

"That's assuming time in both dimensions is linear." Zelgadis stated. "We could have possibly been gone longer or shorter time than it seemed in the other dimension. What seemed like two days could have been anywhere from a few hours to a few weeks."

"_Weeks_?" Amelia shivered. "I don't like the sound of that at all! Two days is bad enough- if I went missing for more than a whole week, my father would be beside himself! That would be awful!"

Zelgadis put a hand on her shoulder. "Amelia, calm down. If we'd been gone a week or two, they'd probably be searching the ruins for us, still. Your father isn't the type to give up- the fact that we haven't seen any royal guards down here searching probably means that we haven't been gone long enough for them to start searching for us.

Amelia sighed and gave a nod. "Of course- you're right. I'll bet that we've only been gone an hour or so, and no one has even noticed that we're missing!"

Zelgadis gave a nod of approval before turning back in the direction that they were walking in. As they got closer to the place where they knew the exit of the cave ought to be, Zelgadis caught sight of something odd.

"Amelia… look up at the ceiling. Are those… tree roots?"

Amelia glanced up curiously. "Yeah, I think so."

"Those weren't there before, were they?"

The princess gave a shrug. "I wasn't really paying much attention to the ceiling."

Zelgadis ran forward a few steps and finally came to the large area where the opening in the ruins was. It was clearly night, as he was able to glance up and see the stars in the sky, but he couldn't see enough of them to tell what time it was- there was a tree blocking his view.

A tree that he _definitely_ didn't remember.

"Here's the exit… but where did this tree come from?"

Amelia ran up to his side, looking up out of the hole. "I… don't know. I don't remember it being there either. Maybe… my dad has been doing some landscaping while we've been gone?"

"Amelia, this tree's roots have already dug down into the cave system." Zelgadis replied. "Clearly it's been here for quite some time…" He drew in a sharp breath as he realised the implications of that statement. "…good _gods_, how long have we been gone?!"

The two exchanged a worried glance.

"I'm sure that… it can't have been too long." Amelia murmured. "If it only felt like two days to us, then… let's just get back to the palace and see what my dad is doing. He'll be able to tell us what's going on."

Zelgadis gave a sigh. It was the best plan of action, of course. Going to the palace would at least give them a better point of reference on the amount of time that they had been gone and what had transpired in that amount of time.

"Here's our makeshift ladder- what's left of it, anyway." Zelgadis approached the wooden structure, still held together with ropes that looked like they'd snap easily. The chimera placed his foot on the bottom rung, and the wood splintered and collapsed under his weight.

"Alright, well, that's not going to work." he muttered. "_Levitation!_"

Zelgadis levitated up out of the exit instead, and watched as Amelia joined him. "At least we've got our magic back here." she sighed. "Whatever happens, we can back each other up. There's no need to be scared."

"Hey, who said that we were scared?" Zelgadis asked. "C'mon; let's get you home and sort out this mess."

* * *

The streets of Seyruun seemed awfully dark, even for the middle of the night. Zelgadis and Amelia were just going around the outside of the city, but even they could tell that the nightlife wasn't exactly as they remembered it. Something wasn't quite right.

"Uh… it looks like someone's patched up that hole in the garden walls." Amelia murmured, looking at the place where they had snuck out the past few weeks. "We'll have to go in through the front gate."

"I was going to suggest that anyway." Zelgadis replied, sighing and turning around. "If we've been gone for a while, it probably is better not to just show up out of the blue. We might scare your father half to death."

Amelia gave a soft laugh. "He would get really worked up, wouldn't he? An announced arrival would be best, I suppose."

The two marched silently around the outer walls of the palace for a few minutes, with the front gates almost in sight.

"Ah… Zelgadis?" Amelia spoke up.

"What is it?" Zelgadis stopped, glancing at their destination and then back at the princess. "Is something wrong?"

"I… just… I wanted to tell you… no matter what happens, I'm glad that you're the one that I'm here with. I am scared, yes, but I feel so much braver knowing that you're by my side."

Zelgadis closed his eyes and sighed in defeat. Before they got roped into whatever mess was going on in Seyruun now, they might as well get things straight. "…thank you, Amelia. There's no one I'd rather be escorting right now- trust me. The thing is, I've been talking to Pestis and thinking a lot about what you said before we, uh, went out to the ruins the last time- all that about Mazoku, and about love, and-"

The ominous sound of thunder rolling in the distance brought Zelgadis' attention to the cloud cover that was quickly enveloping the night sky.

"-and, uh, we should probably seek shelter before we get rained on."

"That… would be wise." Amelia replied, though she sounded a little disappointed.

The two continued on to the gate, where a pair of armed guards was standing watch. They were young, and weren't ones that Amelia had seen before. As soon as Amelia and Zelgadis emerged from the shadows, they jumped into defensive poses.

"Halt! Who goes there? State your name and purpose!"

Amelia stepped forward, creating a bright lighting spell and holding it to her face with a defiant expression. "It's me, Amelia! I need to get inside the palace to talk to my father."

There was a pause, and the two guards exchanged a confused glance before turning back.

"I'm sorry Miss… uh, Amelia," one began. "but does your father work here or something?"

"What are you talking about?" Amelia snapped impatiently. "I am Princess Amelia Wil Tesla Seyruun! My father is the _prince_!"

There was another long pause, and suddenly the two guards burst out in uncontrolled laughter. One even had to lean on the other for support, he was laughing so hard. Amelia's face fell and she stepped back in horror at the guards' reactions.

"Wh-wha…?"

"Hey! You! Show your princess some respect!" Zelgadis growled, pulling out his sword and thrusting it at the two guards. Something wasn't quite right here, but no one had the right to laugh at Amelia while Zelgadis was around; he was going to make sure of that.

Upon seeing the weapon, the guards froze and put their hands up. "Whoa there, pal! Take it easy with that thing! You could hurt somebody!"

"Then you shouldn't be laughing! Tell me, what's so funny about a princess requesting entrance to her own home in order to talk to her own father?"

"Listen, man- we didn't mean to insult your girlfriend there, okay? I don't know how much you guys have had to drink tonight, but if you're looking for kings and princesses, you're half a century too late. Why don't you go bother some other guards or something?"

Zelgadis wasn't able to reply right away. He just took a step back, putting his sword away. "…half a century…?"

"…" Amelia's mouth hung agape for a moment and it looked as though she might cry. "T-too late?" she choked. "B-b-but… with no king or queen to lead it… what has become of the Kingdom of Seyruun?"

"Uh… the… the council; it-" One of the guards was staring at Amelia confusedly. "Ma'am, are you feeling alright? Should we call for a doctor or someth-"

"Take me to this council!"

Amelia shoved her royal seal in the guards' faces, hoping that they would at least recognise it. She wanted answers, and it was clear that these two guards would not have them.

"Th-that's… that's the official symbol…" one guard murmured. He turned to the other and began whispering, though Zelgadis was able to pick out every word.

"_What should we do? We can't let these two in! They must be drunk or mentally ill!_"

"_But she has the official insignia- Master Felipe would kill us if he knew that we'd turned away someone with that kind of authority._"

"_But we haven't a clue where she even got it- after all, she's got the boyfriend with the sword, and-_"

"_It doesn't matter! She's got the insignia, so we have to let her in. That's the rule. The council can't punish us for following the rules._"

"_Alright, I guess…_"

The guards turned back around. "I'll escort the two of you. You're lucky that today is the one day the council meets late- they might still be in there. If not, you'll have to wait until tomorrow." one spoke. "Follow me."

Amelia took a deep breath and followed after him, glancing up at Zelgadis, as though looking for reassurance. Zelgadis gave her a nod and followed after her as they were led by the guard into the palace.

"Zelgadis, I'm sure that everything is going to turn out alright, but…" Amelia drew closer to him.

"I understand." Zelgadis nodded, and put an arm around her. "You're right, everything will turn out alright. We just need to talk to these people and find out what in the world is going on-"

"Hey! Lovebirds! You're entering a government facility- it might be best to show a little respect and keep your hands to yourselves, alright?" The guard's voice called out as he reached the top of the steps and gestured for the two to enter the large doorway.

"Well, at least I'm trying to be supportive- which is much more than I can say for you!" Zelgadis shot back with a growl. Something about this whole situation bothered him, especially if two friends couldn't stick up for one another without being yelled at.

Amelia recognized it as the door to the grand entry hall, and ran ahead with at least the comfort of familiarity. She'd grown up around the palace and knew every inch of it by heart. It was almost like the sensation of being home again, but that sensation changed dramatically as she wandered inside the doors and looked around.

"Wh-wh-what has happened to our grand entryway?" she gasped in horror.

Zelgadis followed and looked around with a gasp himself. The room had been stripped of all decorations. Gone were the tapestries and paintings of former rulers; gone were the statues and chairs and curtains that made the place bright. Now the walls were bare, the floor covered in dust, and the corners lined with cobwebs.

"Grand entryway? What are you talking about? No one uses this section of the building anymore." the guard replied. "Come on- if you want to meet with the council, you'd better hurry. They were supposed to adjourn six minutes ago, but it's likely that they're still in the middle of a debate. We can probably catch them."

Zelgadis followed after the guard, but Amelia was just standing, transfixed by the horror of what was in front of them. "…no… no… this isn't right… this can't be true…" She shook her head a few times, and suddenly took off running.

"Amelia!" Zelgadis yelled.

"Hey! You're not authorized to be running around here! Get back here at once!" the guard yelled. "I'll have to report you to the highest authority-"

"Oh, give it a rest! Can't you see she's been traumatised enough?!" Zelgadis snapped, running after Amelia. She'd turned a corner and left the grand entryway, rushing down one of the hallways. One thing Zelgadis was at least grateful for in regards to his chimera body was the fact that it gave him an extra boost of speed.

"Amelia, wait! Please come back! I know you're upset, but there's no reason to run off like this!"

He finally caught up to Amelia in the hallway, standing with her back against one of the windows and staring at the bare wall as though transfixed. Tears streamed down her face, and she just kept shaking her head.

The sight made Zelgadis calm down considerably. "Amelia…" he murmured.

"There used to be a big portrait of grandfather here." she sniffled. "One that was painted when he was young- he looked so strong, like a true warrior of Justice. All of these walls used to have pictures of Seyruun royalty on them. They symbolised the country's past and its hope for a bright future. All princes and princesses could look down this hallway and come face to face with strong leaders who had led Seyruun nobly and wisely, and consult them for wisdom when they needed help with a decision. Zelgadis, what hope do we have if they're gone?"

Zelgadis placed a hand on her shoulder. "We have you." he replied. "Even if all of Seyruun is torn down, so long as it has a princess with a heart that's filled with Justice, it can all be rebuilt again. What was that saying again? The heart of a country is its people?"

Amelia bowed her head. "…that is true, isn't' it?"

"Right. And your father definitely wouldn't want you getting all upset over something like this. Wherever he is now, I'm sure he'd want you to stay strong and stand up for your country, no matter what has happened. So before we get upset about the circumstances, we need to find out what's really going on here."

Amelia straightened up and smiled. "Oh, Zelgadis, you're right! I can't be sad at a crucial time like this! Not now when my country surely needs me most! I must be a true warrior of Justice!"

"Hey!" a loud and unfamiliar voice called from down the hallway. "What is going on here?!"

"…that's what we want to know…" Zelgadis murmured.

* * *

(A/N: I was told by a friend that the readers were going to hate me after all the twists and turns in the next few chapters… oh d-d-dear… I know exactly where I'm going with this story, I promise. ^^;)


	22. Recipe for Disaster

Hello everyone! You know the drill- I'm don't own anything; I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Do enjoy! ^_^

* * *

**22-Recipe for Disaster**

"Hey! What is going on there?!" A man in a long coat approached from the end of the hallway, looking rather suspicious as he eyed Amelia and Zelgadis. He didn't seem at all fazed by Zelgadis' appearance, but it was dark, so it was likely that the man couldn't tell that Zelgadis was a chimera. "Are the two of you authorised to be in here?"

"The guards let us in." Zelgadis replied, remembering the conversation that the guards had amongst themselves. "We have the official insignia."

"Really? And where in the world did you get it? I've never seen the likes of you around Seyruun before at all."

Before Zelgadis could reply, Amelia stepped forward. "Excuse me, sir, but I've lived here in Seyruun all my life. I am Amelia Wil Tesla Seyruun, princess of the Kingdom of Seyruun."

At Amelia's declaration, the tiniest hint of a smirk crossed the man's face. "Oh, are you? I must admit, it's been a long time since I've heard that one."

Amelia took a step back. "Wh-what do you mean…?"

"You're a few decades late, my dear. Sure, after the princess disappeared, we had many girls came forward claiming to be her, but, of course, the king could tell that every one was a fraud."

"…the king…?" Amelia murmured.

"Or, is that your game? Waiting until Philionel wasn't around to prove otherwise, and then sneak back in and try to gain control of the government yourself?"

"Control of the government?" Zelgadis spoke. "We're not here to do any such thing!"

Amelia, however, had turned pale after that last sentence. "Philionel… isn't… around…" She ran up to the man, grabbing hold of his robe with tears in her eyes. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY DAD?! TELL ME!"

The man was clearly appalled by Amelia's show of emotion. "G-get off me, you vile creature!" he exclaimed, pushing Amelia away with such force that she tumbled to the ground.

"Hey!" Zelgadis' sword was drawn in an instant. He could feel his mouth turning up into a snarl as he aimed the sword at the man. "She's nothing but a young woman who only wants to know what has become of her family and her country. The vile creature is _you_."

The man gave Zelgadis a quizzical look, and held up a lighting spell, examining the chimera more closely. "You're one to talk. What _are_ you? I've never seen anything quite like you."

"I am Zelgadis Greywords." he answered curtly. "I'm a chimera made of human, golem, and demon."

The man seemed a little surprised by this revelation. "…Zelgadis Greywords? You don't mean… the princess' supposed lover who disappeared along with her all those years ago?"

"How long ago was it?" Amelia spoke up, her voice somewhat shaky. "And what has happened to the beautiful country of Seyruun in my absence?"

"We were transported to an alternate dimension by a Mazoku." Zelgadis stated. "What was only a few days to us seems to have been much longer than that in the real world. We're confused. We just want answers."

The man stared at the point of Zelgadis' sword, which was still aimed in his direction. "…answers, you say? Well, I suppose that I could at least give you that. But I want answers from you, as well."

"We'll be glad to tell you what we know." Amelia stepped forward, pushing Zelgadis' sword aside. "This country may not be in my family's hands anymore, but, for me, three days ago I was the princess of this nation. It is my duty to do what is right for Seyruun, no matter what the cost."

The old man regarded Amelia for a long moment before giving a nod. "Follow me, then. The council has just disbanded- we can use the council room."

Zelgadis sent Amelia a questioning glance as he put his sword away. She gave him a firm nod, as though saying that she knew what she was doing. He trusted her with this sort of thing, though, deep down, he wondered if she truly did.

* * *

"Please, take a seat. I hope that we can make this as quick as possible." Felipe, as the man had introduced himself, directed to Amelia and Zelgadis. Two guards stood by the door, watching the scene closely. They made Zelgadis feel a bit uneasy, but there was nothing he could do about it.

"This room… it's the room that my father used to use to consult his council of advisors." Amelia murmured, glancing around. "Look, Zelgadis- it's even the same table! See? There's the break in the middle where it had to be repaired after he broke it in half during the attack of Zanaffar!" Amelia's smiled brightly, but then her excited expression turned into one of melancholy and grief. "…Mister Felipe, what did you say happened to my father?"

Felipe looked down at the table. "The loss of his princess and the weight of age took its toll on him. About twenty years ago he passed away… and with no heir to the throne, the country flew into turmoil."

Amelia drew in a sharp breath. "N-no… it can't be… what about my sister?! What about Gracia?!"

"They tried to find her, but it was as though she had completely disappeared. There was a rumour that she'd been tricked into serving some sort of demon, and was never seen or heard from again."

"A-a-and Uncle C-Christopher…?"

"He was too old. He had no children still alive. There was nothing he could do but watch as a revolution erupted around him. Months later, as the last remaining member of the royal family, he was poisoned by a revolutionary and buried with his brother."

Amelia buried her face in her hands. "No, no, no, no, no…"

"What happened after the revolution started?" Zelgadis demanded. He was a bit more detached from the royal family, and was beginning to get caught up in the narrative. It felt surreal- like it was simply a story of long ago, rather than something that had happened in the future. All these people that he knew- Philionel and Christopher- it wasn't really them. It was just people with their names and positions. This country- it wasn't really Seyruun, it was just a place that looked like it. The important part was the story.

"Well, a war broke out, mostly led by the leaders of what had been the king's council of advisors. It divided into three factions- two that were fighting viciously against one another for control of the country, and the third, made up of the firm pacifists, who were trying to stop the fighting. Eventually the city was divided into factions as well, and fighting ensued. It lasted for four long years, until one day over half of the city was mysteriously destroyed in one night, and the two warring factions surrendered in favour of letting the pacifists set up the new government. I was chosen to lead the elected council, and so here I am."

"And so you lead the council?" Zelgadis questioned.

"I do, along with some of my closest friends whom I've appointed to positions overseeing various aspects of the country."

"Wait. I thought you said that it was an _elected_ council."

"Well, yes, it was at first. But, I took over. I feel like it's better to let a more educated person make the decisions as to governmental rule." Felipe replied, straightening his robe. "It assures that well-qualified people are given the positions."

"But wait- didn't you say that'd you'd appointed your_ friends_?" Zelgadis pointed out.

"If they're my friends, then they surely must be qualified. You should realise that, Mister Greywords." The smirk on Felipe's face was unnerving. "And having leaders supportive of their executive officer helps to increase efficiency and make sure that no bloody revolutions start up again. We wouldn't want that, would we?"

Zelgadis' eyes narrowed. "…of course… it's all to keep _you_ in power."

"Th-that's corruption!" Amelia jumped up and slammed her hands on the table. "My father would have never stood for this! He always had highly qualified government authorities on his council, and made sure to include a variety of viewpoints to make sure that the governing body was fair and just! He… he… he never would have stood for this kind of government! Never!"

Felipe stood up as well, growling indignantly. "You impertinent little child! You know nothing about how government works! My administration is efficient!"

"You're efficient at getting what _you_ want! Have you ever thought about what the _people_ want?!"

"Who cares what the people _want_? I know what's _best_ for them- a concept you don't seem to grasp!"

Amelia jumped up onto the table in order to tower over Felipe once again. "You don't seem to grasp it either! You're no king- you're nothing but a _dictator_!"

The two guards who had been on high alert since Amelia had started yelling now came over and grabbed her by the arms, trying to pull her off the table.

"Hey! Let go of me!" Amelia struggled against her captors' grips, managing to kick one in the stomach and the other in the face. They dropped her and she jumped down, trying to get away before they could retaliate.

"Guards! Arrest her on the ground of insubordination and assault of government officials!" Felipe yelled, pointing toward Amelia. She looked ready to fight, but Zelgadis figured that it was probably best not to try battling these people. He would, of course, call more guards in, and Zelgadis wasn't ready to go to prison.

"Amelia! Come on! Let's get out of here!" Zelgadis yelled, grabbing her by the arm and rushing out the door.

"Get them! Don't let them escape!" Felipe's voice echoed down the deserted hallway as Amelia and Zelgadis ran.

"We should fight them! How could they do this to my country?! This is unbearable-"

"Amelia, a good warrior has to pick their fights wisely. I'm not so keen on battling the guards here unless we have a decent plan of action first. We'll take shelter outside the city and formulate a plan there. Okay?"

"Alright…" Amelia murmured, starting to grow short of breath from running so quickly. "We just have to go around this corner, and-"

"Stop right there! I have orders for your arrest!"

Several guards jumped in front of the two, blocking them in their tracks.

"Amelia! The window!" Zelgadis jumped back a few feet and tried opening the window. It was locked, so the powerful swing of his arm ended up shattering the glass instead, which was alright, since it wouldn't hurt him anyway. With a quick glance to make sure that Amelia was following behind him, he cast a Ray Wing spell and began flying away. One of the guards nearly caught Amelia by the ankle, but she managed to slip out of the window and caught up to Zelgadis as fast as she possibly could.

"Zelgadis! Where are we going?!" she called.

"They're going to be chasing us- we need to get out of the city and into the forest. It has to be somewhere where they won't be able to find us!"

"Okay! What then?"

"We'll think of a plan when we get there, okay?" Zelgadis could only give that assurance. The wind was buffeting them around too hard for him to think very well, and the lightning in the distance made him want to get out of the sky as soon as possible.

The two flew until they weren't over the city anymore, and landed amongst the trees, somewhere where the foliage wasn't too thick for them to land.

"Alright…" Zelgadis murmured, looking around. "We can make a sort of camp here for now, and-"

Before he could finish the sentence, Amelia grabbed onto him, wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her face in his chest. Her shoulders trembled as though she was crying, but she was silent.

"…Amelia…" Zelgadis gasped, pausing for a moment as he tried to figure out what was going on. "Hey, Amelia, look at me, will you?"

He put his hand on top of Amelia's head and tilted it upward towards him. She _was_ crying after all.

"What are we going to do…?" she sobbed. "How can I save Seyruun if everyone I love is gone?"

"C'mon now, Amelia. We'll find a way- I promise." Zelgadis sighed. "If we put our heads together, there's nothing we can't accomplish. We managed to get through so much together before- we'll do it again."

This managed to elicit a small smile from Amelia. "That's true… I'm sure that there must be a way." She took a step back and dried her eyes. "Surely Miss Lina and Mister Gourry are still alive. They could help… and Miss Sylphiel and Mister Pokota… we have friends all over the place that could help us. We're not alone."

Zelgadis smiled in response. "There you go. See? We haven't lost hope. Not yet."

"You're right, Zelgadis." Amelia took a long, deep breath. "We haven't lost hope, and I haven't lost _everyone_ I love. I still have you, and together there's nothing we can't accomplish." She threw her arms around him again, hugging him even tighter this time. Zelgadis opened his mouth to say something in reply , but before he could manage a single word, the whole sky seemed to explode overhead as an enormous strike of lightning lit up their surroundings, paired with a clap of thunder that seemed to shake the rain from the rainclouds. Rain poured down around them, soaking everything straight through.

Amelia pulled away from Zelgadis, coughing and spluttering as she tried to pull her cape up over her head.

"Oh, no! Now this?!" she groaned. "Every time I think we've found a bit of hope, something like this happens!"

"I've noticed that too…" Zelgadis murmured, glancing around, having trouble seeing through the thick rain. "It's strange, isn't it?"

"It's like the universe is against us…" Amelia murmured sadly.

Zelgadis paused and let what Amelia had just said run through his mind a few times. Like the universe was against them, huh? Maybe… what Amelia said… had some credibility…

Wait! What if…?

"Amelia! That's it! You're a genius!"

"Huh?" Amelia looked up and was about to ask what he meant by that, but she didn't manage to get very far with any kind of speech, as suddenly she was too busy being kissed instead.

* * *

(A/N: Hello all! Sorry it has taken me this long to get the next chapter up, but I wanted to make sure that I'd be quick with chapter 23, since the very ending of this feels like it might be a little out-of-character without the context of the next chapter to explain Zelgadis' sudden affections. He has a reason other than just wanting to kiss Amelia, I promise… not that he ought to need a reason, but it fits more with his practical character to have some sort of extra motive. Until next time! XD)


	23. Back to Square One

Hello again! Thank you so much for reading, and, as always, I don't own anything- I'm just a fan having fun writing fiction! Do enjoy!

* * *

**23-Back to Square One**

Amelia could feel her eyes grow larger in surprise, though she certainly didn't object, given the circumstances. A flurry of possible explanations for Zelgadis' sudden display of affection flew through her mind, though, quite frankly, she didn't care, and probably would have been content to continue the kiss for a very long time.

Unfortunately, they didn't _have_ a very long time.

There was an enormous clap of thunder accompanied by lightning, but this time it wasn't just the sky that was lit up, it felt like the very air around them was lit on fire by the brightness of the strike. A tree beside the clearing was struck, and split in half, one half falling nearly on top of the couple. Zelgadis jerked Amelia out of the way and the two tumbled away from the tree a few feet.

Amelia groaned, looking up in shock as the charred wood sat steaming in the rain in front of them. She placed a hand in front of her mouth in pure horror. "Wh-wha…"

"Yes! That's it! That's what I was hoping for!"

Amelia looked up in shock at Zelgadis, who was now on his feet again and grinning from ear to ear.

"What are you talking about?! You meant for that tree to nearly crush us?!" she demanded, still a bit shaken by the whole incident.

"No, no, that wasn't it. I wasn't sure exactly _what_ was going to happen, but…" Zelgadis waved his hands as he assured her that he hadn't made the tree fall as a death wish for the two of them. "…Amelia, you were right! The universe _is_ working against us!"

Amelia blinked. "…huh?"

"Look- every time anything has evoked any remotely positive emotions out of us, something has occurred in our surroundings to negate it, right?"

Amelia gave a slow nod, thinking back to their return.

"But it wasn't until you mentioned it that I realised it. We're not in Seyruun- we're not even back in our own world! This is all some sort of trick!"

Amelia's eyes widened for a moment, and she took a few steps back. "A-a trick? But… who would do such a thing?"

"Who do you think would negate positive emotions like this?" Zelgadis demanded.

There was no need to answer that question- it was far more than painfully obvious and Amelia wasn't sure how to respond. She observed her surroundings, examining the forest in a new light. This Seyruun that the Mazoku had invented was beyond even her worst nightmares, and no matter what, if it wasn't real, they had to get out.

"So… if it's just an illusion, how do we escape it?" Amelia questioned.

Zelgadis was silent for a moment, and then bent down to examine the trunk of the tree that had nearly crushed them. "I wonder… if positive emotions can bring down a tree like this, we could probably use them to destroy this dimension and free us from it."

"So we'll fight the Mazoku with the power of love?" the princess exclaimed with a smile on her face. "How should we go about it?"

"Well, you're the expert." Zelgadis shrugged. "You've read Pestis' three-part-treatise. You tell me."

Amelia closed her eyes as though deep in thought. Zelgadis couldn't help but grin at how serious she looked. Serious Amelia- it was almost an oxymoron. But, in a case like this, when saving themselves depended on being positive and optimistic, there was no one Zelgadis would rather be working with. He did notice that the rain was intensifying and the thunder increasing in frequency as his smile grew. That was a good sign- it meant that the dimension really must be Mazoku-created, in which case Amelia would surely know how to get them out.

"I've got it!" Amelia clapped her hands together proudly. "I know exactly how to get us out of here! Why didn't I think of it before?"

"What is it?" Zelgadis questioned curiously.

Amelia looked up at the chimera, with the pleading look of a small dog begging for scraps of food at a dinner table. "Will you… sing a duet with me?"

Zelgadis had to laugh. He should've expected that singing would be the best way to tear apart a Mazoku's dimension of negativity. "A duet, huh?" Words that had been spoken weeks before suddenly seemed to echo through the chimera's mind. _You'd sing a duet with Amelia if she asked, wouldn't you?_

"I suppose so…" he continued. "Pestis told me I would, if you ever asked me. That man has more foresight than I gave him credit for. Would you be willing to teach me the words to your 'life is wonderful' song?"

The smile that spread across the princess' face was one that seemed like it could have torn the dimension apart on its own, it was so bright and sincere. "It would be my _honour_."

As Amelia started the song, the was an earthquake around them, and she lost her balance a little bit. She grabbed onto Zelgadis for support, and he returned the gesture to steady himself as well. He didn't particularly like the song in the least, but it was obnoxiously catchy, and he caught on very quickly.

As they sang, the whole storm around them seemed to flare up. Lightning flashed relentlessly and trees crashed around them. The two clutched each other even tighter, but their singing never wavered. The earth quaked beneath their feet, making loud cracking noises, but they kept singing. They couldn't let themselves become disheartened by what was happening around them- they'd never be able to escape that way.

It suddenly seemed as though their surroundings were melting away in the rain. Dark energy pooled around their feet and dragged them downward. Amelia clutched Zelgadis even tighter as all light seemed to disappear, sucked downward into the spiralling void.

"Life is wonderful; life is wonderful; LIFE IS WONDERFUL!"

As though falling through a hole, suddenly the two felt themselves jerk to a halt. The air around them was almost scalding and had a familiar smell of sulphur. Amelia opened her eyes and realised that she was suspended over an enormous pool of magma. She let out a piercing scream that echoed through the chamber.

"Don't worry! I've got you!" That was Zelgadis' voice. Amelia could feel the chimera's strong grip on her hand. She reached out to take his free hand in hers, and he pulled her up onto a platform, away from the churning magma below.

Amelia got her first look at the room around her and gasped in surprise. The platform that she was sitting on was part of a terrace that stood as somewhat of an island in a sea of magma. Around them, sprouting from the ground, the walls, and the ceiling, were enormous, translucent crystals that sparkled red, reflecting the light emanated from the magma below.

"...this place..." she murmured breathlessly. "...it's beautiful."

"Don't let your guard down." Zelgadis instructed. He was about to continue with another warning, but was interrupted by a familiar voice from several terraces above them.

"Oh? Do I have a pair of insomniacs on my hands? That's too bad- I was just about ready for you, and this would be far less painful for you if you were asleep."

The two jerked their heads up toward the voice and saw what looked like a young man. He was smirking, his grey-blue hair falling over his eyes as he held out his sword threateningly. Amelia and Zelgadis recognised the sword- it was the lesser Mazoku that Lavi had used against them before.

"W-who are you?!" Amelia demanded.

"I apologise for not introducing myself properly before now, but I had to get you here first, _your highness_." His appearance changed for a split second into a familiar feline form, and he gave a bow, causing Amelia to blanch and scramble backwards slightly.

"M-m-mister Hadi?!"

The man smirked. "I suppose the cat's out of the bag- so to speak. I'm afraid that's not actually my name- it's Brandr. I was simply standing in for Hadi, you see. I intercepted Professor Nisery's message to him and figured that he was too old and feeble to make such a journey. So I decided to take it upon myself to escort you… after all, you're quite important to my master."

Amelia backed away, gasping in surprise. "B-but… you… does that mean that this whole time you've been lying to us?!"

"I wasn't lying. Lord Dynast needs you alive."

"You're one of Dynast's cronies! I should've known!" Zelgadis jumped to his feet angrily. "What does Dynast need us for?!"

"Oh, your professor friend didn't tell you?" the man asked. "You must understand, these magical vessels hold an incredible amount of black magical power… but the power within them is built to remain within them. If a creature were to draw the power out of the vessels, it would consume and destroy their soul. But… if a Mazoku were to draw that power out of another living being, then the power would be harmless to them. That, of course, is why I need a human to take the brunt of the power's force for me."

"Th-that's like… a sacrifice!" Amelia gasped.

Brandr laughed. "You could think of it that way! I figured that the princess would make the perfect sacrifice- though I was glad that her chimera friend could tag along, so that I could take my pick when the time came." He gripped his sword intently. "I kept the sword with me in case you'd want to use it… this is one of Lord Dynast's magical swords, which has the power to turn any human that touches it into a half-demon. I figured that, if that happened, it would make my job a little easier, but it didn't matter all that much, since I could always put you to sleep like just now. I trust you had pleasant dreams?" The smirk on the Mazoku's face showed that he knew exactly how 'pleasant' the dream had been.

"And just who were you planning to sacrifice?!" Zelgadis drew his sword impatiently.

"Ah; my plan was to sacrifice the princess, and then wake you up to suffer the agony of her loss before I destroyed you too." Brandr replied.

"You villain!" Amelia jumped up and lunged at Brandr, looking as though she were about to toss a powerful spell at him.

"Amelia! Wait! You can't use spells here!" Zelgadis grabbed his sword and thrust himself in front of her, just managing to block Brandr's sword.

"You're a very good swordsman." the Mazoku observed. "It's been a long time since I've been able to fight someone at my level."

"Your level, huh?" Zelgadis took this as a challenge, and was all too eager to accept. "It's been a long time since I've been able to fight someone who has even come close to my level. I wonder how far off you are…"

Amelia watched helplessly as their argument devolved into a skilful battle of swordsmanship. Brandr had been right- he _was_ a good swordsman, but it was also clear that Zelgadis' insults were just for show. The chimera had expected the Mazoku to be a skilled swordsman; it was apparent in the way that he carried himself and his sword. Brandr was a powerful opponent, and Zelgadis had been careful not to underestimate him.

But Zelgadis was a powerful opponent too.

Brandr was knocked backwards and smashed into the base of one of the enormous crystals. He groaned as he regained his balance.

"Ah; you're not half bad, you freak. I _was_ going to separate you and your precious little princess- for at least long enough to cause you some agony- but I think you're worthy enough that I can give you the privilege of dying together."

Zelgadis scowled at the Mazoku and kept his sword extended threateningly. "But if you did that, who would you sacrifice?"

"You do make a good point, chimera. Who _will_ I sacrifice to the vessels? If I kill you both together, then I won't have anyone left to offer…"

"Don't worry, Brandr." a chilling voice from off to the side spoke up. "I have the perfect sacrifice right here."

That voice was beyond recognizable.

Amelia and Zelgadis stiffened and swivelled around to face Lavi, their looks of shock turning suddenly to horror.

Under one arm, she clutched an unmoving figure. He was slumped over and unconscious, with his hair dishevelled and his glasses shattered and hanging off his face. A trickle of a deep red aura similar to blood was dissipating from one corner of his mouth.

Lavi dropped the limp figure onto the floor and smiled triumphantly up at Brandr.

Amelia and Zelgadis, on the other hand, were too horrified to even move. They stood in shock, barely even able to form words.

"Professor Nisery!"

"Pestis!"

* * *

(Ahhhh; Recently I've started watching a new anime- for the first time in a long time!- and I'm to the point where there's a lot of cliffhanger endings to the episodes. Just tonight I started wondering… 'Is this the sort of thing I do to the people reading my fanfiction? Is this the sort of pain that I give them?!' I'm sorry to all you nice people! You're kind enough to read my stories, and I give you this! The least I can do is update quickly, I suppose. I finished the story over my spring break last week, so I can post at my leisure now. The next six chapters ought to move quickly! Until next time~!)


	24. Playing With Fire

Hello all! What's this? Fairly regular updates now? Who knew! As always, I don't own anything, I'm just a fan having fun writing fiction! Please enjoy!

* * *

**24-Playing With Fire**

The professor lay on the ground, his hair looking a shade darker against his pale skin.

"What did you do to him?!" Amelia shrieked, rushing toward the professor. Zelgadis was going to stop her, but it seemed as though the Mazoku didn't seem to mind her kneeling by her unconscious friend in concern. They were probably just enjoying her fear and horror.

"Don't worry. He's not dead. It would take far more power than we have to kill him." Lavi smirked. "But there is plenty of power in those vessels, and he'll make the perfect sacrifice to unlock it." The Mazoku approached the princess and knelt beside her, grabbing her by the arm. "I'm afraid it's time to bid your professor friend farewell-"

_SLAP!_

Lavi jerked back, her eyes widening as she placed a hand to the side of her face. "Y-you... you slapped me..." she murmured to Amelia in disbelief. "...that _hurt_!"

"What?!" Brandr growled. "That's impossible! She can't do magic in this space! She couldn't have wounded you!"

"I wasn't trying to wound you with magic, I was trying to wound you with friendship!" Amelia declared, jumping up as though giving a Justice Speech. "You've hurt someone that I care deeply about, and I won't stand for that! It wasn't my magic, it was my love for my friend that wounded you!"

"...weaponising love..." a voice murmured softly. "...you really did... read my book..."

"Oh, go back to sleep, old man!" Lavi kicked the professor, and he was too weak to do anything but be pushed limply across the floor of the terrace.

Zelgadis rushed to Pestis' side and draped the man's arm over his shoulder, trying to help him up. "Zelgadis...please... worry about yourself... before you worry about me..."

"I _am_ worrying about myself- if they sacrifice you to the magical vessels, then it's over for everyone!"

"The vessels... won't accept me as a sacrifice..."

His voice had been loud enough for everyone to hear, and there was a long moment of silence. The only sound that could be heard was that of the magma churning far below the terraced floor.  
"WHAT?!" Lavi yelled. "That's a lie! You're bluffing!"  
Zelgadis stood up with the professor's arm still around his shoulders. Pestis continued weakly "... I maintain this dimension... The vessels know me... I cannot... absorb their power..."

"We'll, why didn't you tell me that before?!" Lavi ran to grab the professor again, but Zelgadis held out his sword to block her and she stopped a short distance away from them.

"I tried... believe me... You don't listen..."

"Lavi! You idiot!" Brandr yelled, jumping down the terraces. "If he won't work as a sacrifice, then dispose of him! Don't stand there and talk- get me one of those humans!"

Lavi didn't respond, simply disappearing from view. She reappeared just behind Zelgadis and Pestis, grabbing the professor by the shoulder.

"Sorry, handsome, but this old man has given me lots of trouble in last hour or so. I worked hard to destroy what I could of his astral body- I'm not letting him get back on his feet."

She pulled the small man from Zelgadis' grip and flung him toward the edge of the platform.

At the same time, Brandr jumped from the top platform down toward Amelia, the sword-Mazoku in his hand buzzing with magic, as though it were excited to battle.

"H-hey... I thought that magic was negated in this space!" the princess growled, taking a step backwards.  
"_Calling_ on magic is negated in this space." Brandr replied curtly. "But we Mazoku, who innately possess the magic that you humans must call upon to utilize, can do whatever we like with it."

"...oh, good." Amelia smiled.

The very act of smiling seemed to shake Brandr's confidence level just a little. "What are you smiling at, exactly?"

"We humans aren't defenceless, _Mister Hadi_." Amelia knew that she couldn't let this opportunity go unused- not if she had him momentarily distracted. "We innately possess the love and joy that so many of you Mazoku lack. There's something odd I've noticed about this dimension since I first got here, and I've just now been able to figure it out. When I was sad about being separated from my friends, it was as though I was in the depths of despair. When I was afraid of venturing into the volcano, it was as though I was so terrified that I couldn't move. And, just now, when I saw my dear friend Mister Pestis in such a bad situation, it made my heart hurt so much that I was even able to wound a Mazoku with just my emotions. This dimension itself is an amplifier for the natural emotions that we humans possess. All we have to do is choose the right emotion to fight with, and nothing can stop us- not even Mazoku!"

"...amplifying emotions... Sounds like something that professor would do." Brandr growled. "Too bad those emotions won't do anything for you if you're already dead!"

The Mazoku jumped into the air, striking the spot that the princess was sitting. Amelia had managed to duck out of the way- just barely!- but she was now hanging rather precariously on an edge of the side of the terrace. A piece of rock from the platform crumbled under her weight and tumbled down into the molten rock below. The princess glanced down at the magma and back up at the approaching Mazoku, carefully weighing her options.

Zelgadis had been flung toward the edge of the terrace, but managed to dig his sword into the soft rock, offering him some friction with which to catch himself before he plummeted over the side. It took a moment to regain his balance, and once he did, Lavi was already hovering over Pestis with a cruel grin.

"Lavi... please... you don't understand what you're doing..." Pestis murmured weakly.

"No, you're the one who doesn't understand." Lavi spat.

"...Please... you know I don't lie... about things like this..."

Lavi pushed the limp form of the professor further, until one arm was hanging over the edge of the terrace.

"Don't you want to die? Hasn't that always been your wish? Why are you fighting it so? You act like a pathetic human." Lavi spat.

"I do want to die... but I don't want to die knowing... that I leave others to die as a result of... my weakness." Pestis murmured softly. "My wish to save them... is greater... than my wish for death. That is why I live... that is why I _must_ live."

Lavi's face formed itself into a malicious grin. "Deliciously ironic last words, my friend."

Pestis let out a scream as he was pushed over the side of the terrace, the magma below seeming as though it was going to engulf him.

But he wasn't the only one who screamed.

Lavi let out a yelp as Zelgadis slammed into her with his sword. She went flying back a few feet as the chimera lunged over the side in time enough to grab Pestis by the wrist. The professor swung back and forth from the shock of being grabbed, and his glasses tumbled off, making a tiny splash in the liquid rock far below.

Zelgadis pulled the man back up onto the terrace, laying him out onto the ground.

"...thank you..." Pestis murmured. "...Those glasses never did fit me anyway..."

Amelia was stuck on the edge of the terrace, between the swordsman Mazoku and a terrifying death at the hands of a volcano. But she held firm- all was never lost.

Brandr seemed to be taking special pleasure in approaching her slowly and dramatically, as though trying to increase the terror that she was feeling. There wasn't anywhere to jump to that would be out of the Mazoku's reach, and she didn't have a weapon.

At least, not a conventional one.

Amelia stared up at the Mazoku, trying to get him to focus his attention on the faked look of fright on her face rather than the fact that she was quickly unlatching the clasp on her belt.

"How're those amplified emotions working out for you now, princess? Are you enjoying your magnified terror?"

"No," Amelia began, pulling the belt from around her waist. "I can't say that I am." The accessory acted enough like a whip that Amelia was able to at least knock the Mazoku off-balance. He gasped as he tumbled over, using his sword to catch himself- though, by the time he did, Amelia had already rushed across the terrace and was halfway to where Zelgadis was helping Pestis up.

"Zelgadis! Mister Pestis!" she called.

"...thank goodness you're alright... Amelia..." Pestis murmured.

"I tried to knock the swordsman off the side of the terrace, but this belt isn't exactly as useful as having magic." Amelia exclaimed, latching the accessory back over her shirt.

"You're right- it isn't!"

Amelia yelped as Lavi grabbed the back of her cape and held her up in the air.

"H-hey!"

"I've had enough of your little games, princess. You and your chimera boyfriend think you're so smart with all the little tricks that you have, don't you? Well, I've got news for you-"

She reached out with her free hand and grabbed the blade of the sword that Zelgadis was thrusting toward her. Dark miasma seeped out of the hand where the sharp double-blade sliced into it, but the Mazoku's grip was firm and held the chimera in place.

"-playtime is over, kiddies."

"...Zelgadis... Amelia..." Pestis called weakly.

Amelia struggled futilely against the Mazoku's grip, and Zelgadis wrenched his sword from her hand, falling backwards a few feet, the Mazoku's miasma still seething around the end of the blade.

"I assume this means that you want to fight both of us yourself?" the chimera spoke, not seeing Lavi's comrade anywhere in the nearby vicinity.

"Sure. Sounds like fun- I'm game if you are."

"...no... Zelgadis... she's..."

Lavi dropped Amelia to the floor, and the princess took a moment to gasp for breath before lunging to grab onto Lavi's legs. Not expecting her weight to be pulled out from underneath her, the Mazoku toppled over.

In a split second, Zelgadis stood over her with his sword in her face. "Do you still want to fight us both?"

"Of course." Lavi smiled sweetly. "That was what I was ordered to do."

"What, to foolishly fight us to the death?"

"No, silly. To buy time."

Zelgadis froze for a moment as the implication of her words hit him.

"Buy time? Time for-?"

"Zelgadis! Amelia!"

Pestis' voice caught his attention, and Zelgadis spun around quickly to see what was going on. Before he could figure out what exactly was happening, a powerful light flashed from the very top of the terraces, momentarily blinding everyone in the room.

"Wh-what's going on?!" Amelia gasped.

"Th-the vessels..." Pestis murmured, staggering to his feet as he stared upward. "...no... he's sacrificing..."

"Sacrificing?! There's no one to sacrifice!" Zelgadis demanded, looking around frantically.

"Of course you wouldn't understand, silly human. Lesser Mazoku have their uses just like anything else." Brandr's voice called from the top of the terraces. "And, as I was going through the unnecessary trouble of fighting with you humans, I came to realise that it would be so much easier to trade a weak sword-Mazoku for the incredible power sealed in these vessels. With these, you don't stand a chance against me!"

Another flash of light burst from the upper terraces once more, accompanied by what sounded to be an earthquake, shaking the whole volcano to its core.

Pestis lost his balance and toppled over again, but managed to prop himself up against the side of a nearby terrace. "No... this can't happen... If he sets off the defence mechanism, then..."

"We've got to stop him before it's too late!" Zelgadis ran over toward the terraces, but Pestis grabbed his arm.

"No!"

The chimera pulled back, staring at the professor questioningly. "B-but-"

"Zelgadis, I'm legally blind right now, but even so, it's clear that it's too late! He's already begun the sacrifice process! If you go up there, you'll be sucked in!"

"But we can't let him get that power!" Amelia protested. "If he gives that power to Dynast, then-"

"He won't get that far." Pestis interrupted. "The vessels... will drive him insane first. _That's_ what I'm afraid of."

* * *

(A/N: I… think I remember writing this chapter right after seeing _Legally Blonde: The Musical_, so, when Pestis lost his glasses, I just had to refer to him as 'legally blind' somehow… haha… ah… I'm so weird. ^^;)


	25. Through Thick and Thin

Hello all! As usual, I don't own anything; I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Do enjoy!

* * *

**25- Through Thick and Thin…**

"...insane...?" Amelia gasped, shooting a glance back up toward the top of the terraces. The light was too bright for anyone to see anything, but the sound of laughter clearly echoed downward.

"Insanity?! Professor, the only insanity you have to be worried about is your own!"

In a split second, the Mazoku jumped down from the top of the terraces, landing with such force that it was enough to knock even Amelia and Zelgadis off their feet. His blue hair seemed to be singed on the end, but he wasn't worried about that- in one hand he held control over a set of gem shards that floated amongst each other, close enough to stay within Brandr's grasp, but repelled away from each other like matching ends of a magnet. The glow that emanated from them was almost blinding, and held an aura of pure dark energy.

Zelgadis had to hand it to the Mazoku who'd engineered them, they did, in fact, resemble pieces of the ruby eyes of Shabranigdo.

"BRANDR!" Pestis shouted in a voice that seemed almost impossible given the fragile state that he was in. "BRANDR, PLEASE! DON'T LET THEM CONSUME YOUR SOUL! IF YOU DO, THE DEFENCE MECHANISM WILL KILL US ALL!"

"Hah, my soul? What do I care about my soul? What do I care about all of you?"

The malice in his voice was enough to drive everyone back a few feet, except for Lavi, who ran to Brandr's side, clasping his free hand.

"We did it! Lord Dynast will be so pleased to have this power!"

There was a long pause, during which Brandr didn't speak. Lavi drew a little closer, looking somewhat worried. "...Brandr...?"

"..._we_?_ Lord Dynast_? You say those words as though I have connections to the two of you. Like I owe you something."

"B-Brandr, what are you talking about? You're Lord Dynast's general. You're-"

"Lord Dynast's general?! Hah! With this kind of power, I don't need to be Lord Dynast's anything! _I_ make the rules now, Lavi- and I don't need incompetent lackeys getting in my way!"

Lavi was still for a few moments, shaking her head in protest.

"N-no... no... you don't mean that. Brandr, come on! You're joking, right? BRANDR-"

Pestis grabbed ahold of Lavi before she could get any closer to her companion. "Lavi, stop! He's lost his mind! The vessels have consumed his soul- it's the defence mechanism that I tried to warn you about!"

"But-"

"Pestis, what kind of defence mechanism is this, anyway?" Zelgadis demanded.

"Uh... the defence mechanism in the vessels consumes the soul of whoever absorbs their power and causes them to go insane with desire for destruction..."

"HOW IS THAT A DEFENCE MECHANISM?! IT MAKES THE SITUATION WORSE!"

Pestis scratched his cheek sheepishly. "I... uh... don't program defence mechanisms well under pressure...?"

"Hah! You're such a fool! Someone like you doesn't even deserve to be the caretaker of this place!" Brandr laughed loudly. "I have no use for this dimension anymore- I might as well kill you all!"

"Oh, come on! Don't you Mazoku ever get bored of killing people?!" Zelgadis groaned.

"No, not really." Lavi interrupted with a carefree smile.

"He's going to kill _you_ too, idiot!"

Lavi looked like she was about to say something- likely something not-so-intelligent- but she wasn't able to complete a thought. The power of the vessels shone through the translucent edges of the crystals, and the volcano began to quake violently. Rock from the walls of the chamber began crashing down, making loud splashes as they impacted the magma and slowly melted into it.

"Oh, we've got to get out of here!" Amelia shrieked, trying to keep her emotions under control. She didn't want her fears to become amplified the way they had before, but being inside of a toppling volcano, that was easier said than done.

"I'm afraid that's all we can do..." Pestis murmured weakly, and reached over to grab Lavi by the arm. "Take Amelia and Zelgadis." he ordered.

"What?" Lavi gasped. "Since when do you have the authority to be bossing me around-"

"YOU WANT TO LIVE, DON'T YOU?!"

Well, Lavi certainly did.

"Take Amelia and Zelgadis and get out of here." Pestis instructed slowly. "I'll stay here. I can't beat him in the state that I'm in, but it'll likely take all of Brandr's power to destroy me, and that way he won't be able to harm anything outside of this room."

"W-wait, you mean-" Amelia began, but was interrupted by Pestis again before she could finish her train of thought.

"Once Brandr has expended all of the energy that he absorbed through the vessels, they will disintegrate and that should return the three of you back to Seyruun. The vessels are the connection to the outside world, so, once they are destroyed, all objects that belong in the outside world should return to their point of entry, yours being the ruins."

"But Mister Pestis, you-"

"GO ALREADY!"

Pestis pushed Zelgadis and Amelia toward Lavi, getting himself out of the way of a magical attack from Brandr in the process. The insane Mazoku was descending on his prey quickly, and they were running out of time.

"Alright, then. You two are coming with me." Lavi spoke, grabbing Zelgadis and Amelia's arms. We might as well let the professor deal with this mess."

"No! Mister Pestis! He can't-" Amelia called, trying to wrench herself from Lavi's grip as she watched Pestis and Brandr beginning to pit their magic against one another. From the way things looked, Pestis was so much weaker than his adversary, he couldn't have had any kind of advantage whatsoever. His diminutive size and his sickly appearance, coupled with the fact that his magic was far less flashy- though that didn't necessarily have to mean anything- made it look awfully hopeless for the professor. The thought of leaving seemed so absurd to Amelia, she didn't want to let it even cross her mind. Yet Lavi continued to pull on Amelia's wrist.

"C'mon you stupid humans! Let's get out of here before we end up-"

An attack fired directly at them caused Lavi to yelp and jump back, attempting to drag her two human captives with her. She began to phase away to the astral plane, but just before she could drag Amelia and Zelgadis along with her, the chimera wrenched his arm out of her grasp and fell onto the ground, just out of range of the dark magic.

"ZELGA-" Amelia choked, reaching in vain for him as she disappeared onto the astral plane with Lavi.

"ZELGADIS!" Pestis yelled, with a far more accusatory tone than had been displayed by the princess. "What do you think you're doing?!"

Brandr had the chimera in his sights, and approached him with a smirk on his face. "I don't blame you for not trusting that idiot- I wouldn't have either."

"Which idiot? Lavi or Pestis?" Zelgadis' sword was drawn in an instant, and even without being able to cast a spell to give it an extra boost of power, it was still quite an intimidating weapon.

"Both of them! They're both idiots!" All of Brandr's attack power was now directed at Zelgadis, and it was clear that the vessels held a considerable amount of black magic. The chimera cursed under his breath, wishing that he was somewhere that allowed him to cast spells. If he were Gourry, maybe he could stand up to powerful Mazoku with just a sword, but… No! He couldn't think like that! He was every bit as skilled as Gourry; for as far behind he was in swordsmanship, he made up for in cunning battle strategies. He wasn't just battling with pure strength and technique, he was adding an element of shrewd cunning to the battle as well.

"I don't disagree with you." Zelgadis was weaving in and out of the Mazoku's attacks as he tried his best to get close with his sword in hand. "But Pestis is only an idiot because he thinks that his friends will allow him to be abandoned in a situation like this. He should know me better than that by now."

"So, what you're saying is that you care enough about this scrawny little Mazoku to die with him? How utterly adorable."

"Pestis is _not_ a Mazoku, and we will _not_ die- those are two things you can count on!" Brandr's amusement had given Zelgadis just the split second he needed, and he knew exactly what he was aiming for. Using his sword, Zelgadis managed to knock one of the shards of magic from his opponent's hand. It skidded across the floor of the terrace and landed almost directly under Pestis' foot.

The professor stepped on it, crushing it underfoot as though it were made of glass. A spurt of dark energy emanated from it for a moment before the tiny shards dissipated into the rock underneath.

"That's _one_." Pestis murmured.

"WHAT?! How did you break it so easily?!" Brandr demanded, descending upon the professor with malice burning in his eyes. Pestis put up a barrier, blocking the dark magic before it could hit him, and though he didn't seem to be expending much energy, the barrier didn't seem like it would hold up for very long either.

"Run, Zelgadis." Pestis spoke softly.

"What?"

"I said run. Get out of here. Find Amelia and Lavi and wait for this battle to be over." At the last word, Pestis gritted his teeth, his barrier suddenly flickering as though it were going to disappear. Brandr was still direction an incredible stream of black magic at the professor, waiting for the barrier to finally be unable to hold up to the sheer amount of power anymore, but it didn't seem to be happening. For all that Pestis appeared to be struggling, he was keeping himself from getting hurt… for the moment, at least.

"Never! I won't leave you!"

"Zelgadis… I'm not… afraid to die."

"But _I'm_ afraid for you to die, you idiot!" Zelgadis yelled. "I've lost far too many friends!"

"You don't… deserve… to die here as a martyr… Zelgadis."

"And neither do _you!_"

The chimera grabbed his professor friend and jumped across the terrace just as Pestis' barrier began to fall. They tumbled and hit the side of one of the terraces, and Zelgadis noticed that the wound on the left side of Pestis' face had opened even more, with more deep-red magic seeping out of it. He might not have been human, but he certainly wasn't as thick-skinned as his chimeric companion.

"If we both fight, neither of us has to die." Zelgadis murmured softly.

"…what… about Amelia…?"

"You sent her away to safety, didn't you?"

"I… wanted you to go with her… Lavi will surely… betray her… and she shouldn't be alone…"

Zelgadis drew a sharp breath. He hadn't imagined that, after all they had just seen, Lavi would turn against Amelia, but once he remembered Lavi's nature as a Mazoku, it made perfect sense.

"Amelia can hold her own." Zelgadis declared, standing up and helping Pestis up with him.

"But you think that I ca-" Pestis didn't get to finish his comeback before Zelgadis grabbed him and pulled them both out of harm's way. Brandr's attack smashed into the base of the upper terrace, causing rocks and debris to fly everywhere.

"No! Not the base!" Pestis gasped, scrambling to his feet.

"Wh-wha?"

"Zelgadis, it's collapsing! These terraces are the kind that take millions of years to form through mineral water deposits as it percolates through the underground channels and evaporates… they're very fragile!"

The chimera could feel the rock floor shifting beneath him and could hear the hissing noise of rocks falling into the molten minerals below and melting away to become part of the magma chamber.

For someone with skin made of rock, it wasn't exactly the most comforting thought.

"We've got to get out of here, _now!_" Pestis yelled, grabbing Zelgadis' hand and pulling him toward the corridor that had led to the room.

"And where do you two think you're going?"

Pestis and Zelgadis stopped short, seeing Brandr standing defiantly in their path, holding up the magical vessels.

The Mazoku gave an evil smirk. "This volcano is coming down, boys… and _you're_ coming down with it."

* * *

(A/N: Well… this chapter was… a little too short. I'm sorry; battle scenes are an awful pain to write. It feels like it's long, but it's really not… agh. Oh well…)


	26. Dicing with Death

Hello! I should apologize for the long absence, right? It's been a while, I'm afraid- and I have no excuse. *sigh* Just, as usual, I don't own anything, I'm just a fan having some fun writing some fiction. Do enjoy!

* * *

**26- Dicing with Death**

"ZELGA-" Amelia's scream was cut off as she and Lavi disappeared from the inside of the volcano. The princess fell, landing face-first into the snow.

A searing pain shot through her skin, and Amelia yelped, jumping up and brushing as much of the snow off as possible. The shock of the temperature change from the inside of the volcano to the snow bank was a dangerous one, and it made the poor princess feel as though her skin were being pricked by needles all over.

"It's so cold!" Amelia exclaimed, rubbing her arms in an attempt to get them to a more reasonable temperature. "Do you have any idea how dangerous that was, Miss Lavi? Taking someone from an incredibly hot environment and tossing them into an incredibly cold one can cause debilitating shock and create problems with-"

Amelia was cut off mid-sentence as Lavi held a knife to her throat. "I couldn't care less, Miss Princess."

"Wh-where.. did you… get tha-?" Amelia managed to choke out before being interrupted again.

"Forget it. This time you're going to listen to me, alright little human?"

"Okay… I just… have one question…"

Lavi pulled the knife back slightly. "And what's tha-"

"_ELMIKIA LANCE_!"

Wow, Lavi really wasn't that bright after all.

Lavi and her knife went skidding backwards in the snow. In the split second while the Mazoku was still dazed, Amelia quickly scanned the horizon and saw the volcano. The lava flows on its sides made it stand out from the night sky, and the plume of smoke rising from the top of the clearly wasn't a good sign.

"Oh… Zelgadis and Mister Pestis are still stuck up there…" The princess spun around quickly, descending upon the Mazoku that was just beginning to pick herself up again. She grabbed Lavi by her scarf, pulling her to eye level.

"I'm going back to that volcano, and you're coming with me."

"What?! Are you crazy?! There's no way I'm going back there! Besides, didn't your professor want you out or something? You aren't going to blatantly defy his orders and just rush back into danger when he's doing all that he can to save you, right?"

Lavi's plea made Amelia think for a moment. Pestis _had_ made sacrifices for her safety, and it seemed as though she were disrespecting the lengths that he had gone to in order to protect her.

"…but Zelgadis did it. And I can't just leave him there to fight alone…"

"Oh, come on! If that chimera were to jump off a cliff, would you do it too?"

Amelia frowned. "If it were most people, no. But Zelgadis…"

"You're crazy, you know that?! You're just as insane as Brandr! Do as you like, but I'm not taking you back to that volcano!"

Amelia frowned and looked down at the Mazoku's scarf. She pulled on the ends and tied it into a firm knot, holding onto Lavi as though she were a dog on a leash.

"We're not going back _into_ the volcano- we're going to see if we can give Zelgadis and Mister Pestis a way out from the outside." Amelia stated plainly. "And you _are_ coming with me."

"Why should I?" Lavi pulled at the scarf, trying to wrench her way out of it. "I have nothing to do with that professor and your chimera friend."

"Yes, you do! It's partially your fault that we're in this mess to begin with- you must take responsibility, Miss Lavi! For the sake of Justice you must!" Amelia pulled back on the scarf.

"Justice? To hell with Justice! I don't want to get swallowed up by some volcano! It'd just be better to let the professor and the chimera destroy themselves in the process of getting rid of those vessels so that we can get out of here! …Princess…?"

"…" Amelia wasn't talking. She hadn't really heard what Lavi had said- after the second sentence she'd stopped listening. The princess let out an incensed snarl. "…don't… _ever_… say… anything… bad… about… Justice…"

Lavi's eyes widened. The amplified emotions of the parallel dimensions should be working in her favour now that she'd angered the girl, but it had progressed to a point where even Lavi was frightened.

"H-hey... I didn't mean... uh... please let go of my scarf!"

"You're coming with me. What was it that you and your partner said about Zelgadis and me earlier? You'll be _useful..."_

"Aw, come on! Throwing our own words back at us? That's not fair! Even if the tables have turned-" Lavi continued protesting, but as Amelia continued dragging her along, she sighed and followed in resignation.

"We're going up to that volcano, no matter what the dangers." Amelia declared. "And we're going to help Zelgadis and Mister Pestis."

Lavi tried once more to wrench her scarf out of the princess' grip. "HELP! SOMEONE! I'VE BEEN KIDNAPPED BY AN INSANE HUMAN!"

Of course, there wasn't anyone around to hear her.

* * *

"Brandr, please…" Pestis held out his hand. "I don't want to have to destroy _you_. You can just… give me all the vessels, okay? Then I'll destroy them and we can all get out of here safely. If we do that, then the volcano will stop erupting and nothing worse will happen to anyone- inside or outside of the dimension. Surely you have a desire for self-preservation, right? I mean… if this volcano is collapsing, then it's collapsing on you too… right?"

Brandr laughed loudly, the noise echoing through the chamber against the sound of falling rock and churning magma. "What? You think I'll just let you grab all this power from me because you spouted some cute humanitarian nonsense? You're just going to use them for your own evil purposes once you get your hands on them. I might as well use them for _my_ evil purposes!"

"_What_ evil purposes?! You're destroying yourself and everything around you! Don't you see that?!" Pestis pleaded.

"Destruction is a beautiful thing! Can't you hear it? The volcano is playing a symphony direct from the very centre of the planet itself- the symphony of chaos and turmoil! It's music to the ears, isn't it?"

Pestis and Zelgadis glanced at each other for a long moment.

"…that was poetic and disturbing at the same time…"

"…I dunno; it sounded kind of cliché and lame to me. But, then again, most villains in these sorts of stories are, so I guess I really shouldn't be trying to complain…"

"…yeah, I guess you're right. This story hasn't really had any well-developed villains, has it?"

"Not Lavi, that's for sure.

"Ouch. That's kind of harsh."

"Darn right it is-"

"WHAT ARE YOU TWO IDIOTS GOING ON ABOUT?!" Brandr yelled after being unable to follow the conversation at all.

"Uh, nothing. The situation was looking kind of dire, so we just wanted to see if we could escape through the fourth wall." Zelgadis shrugged. "It didn't work."

"But it was worth a try." Pestis held his hands up in apology. He quickly became serious again and spun around on his feet. "Zelgadis, cover for me. Whatever you do, don't pay attention to me, just keep Brandr occupied."

Without any more warning, the professor took off across the now uneven surface of the terraces, trying to keep his balance as it continued crumbling underfoot.

"H-hey! Wait! What are you going to-"

"It's not effective to yell your plans out loud, professor!" Brandr took off in the direction that Pestis had begun running, but Zelgadis jumped in front of him.

"Where do you think you're going?" the chimera growled. _Pestis… I really hope you know what you're doing…_

Meanwhile, Pestis grabbed onto the side of one of the crystals, clambering up the side until he was able to stand on top of it. It was difficult to keep his balance, and a large chunk of rock falling on top of his shoulder nearly knocked him off, but he stayed as steady as he could and climbed out toward the wall. Falling would mean that he'd end up in the magma below, but he had to risk it. He wasn't afraid of dying, but he had to make sure that his friends were safe, and this was the only way.

Zelgadis was able to make good use of his speed, able to keep Brandr from focusing on Pestis by making an obstacle for him every way he tried to turn. Despite his apparent inability to process his surroundings, Brandr seemed to be quickly catching on to the fact that the chimera was no ordinary swordsman.

It took him long enough.

There was nothing more that Zelgadis could do than provoke Brandr to attack him and hope that he would be able to defend against whatever attacks that the vessels could create. There were only five left, but, even so, that was still a lot of magical power. Zelgadis was fast enough and strong enough to keep up his defence, but the air around him was getting hotter, the floor around him less steady, and his sword less sturdy against the constant barrage of attacks from a Mazoku who was clearly getting frustrated. Brandr kept trying to turn to see what Pestis was doing, but Zelgadis managed to draw his attention away each time.

The professor had reached the base of the crystal, where it attached to the wall of the vent. He bent down and examined the spot, as though pondering the best way to go about his plan. If he was able to dislodge the crystal, it would fall and provide distraction enough for him to get the vessels... he hoped. There was still the possibility that it might harm Zelgadis in some way, and that was a risk that the professor didn't want to take. He began to wrack his brain as to some way to protect the chimera from getting hurt in the process of using the crystal as a diversion. Calling out to him wouldn't work- Brandr could hear it too, and that would spoil the whole point of the distraction. But there didn't seem to be any other way to get a signal across to Zelgadis.

It was a cruel decision to make.

Pestis stood up, placing a hand against the rock wall to steady himself. He kicked at the rock wall where the edge of the crystal was buried, trying to drive a crack in the crystal. It was selenite- a rather soft crystal- and flakes flew down under his feet, but nothing happened.

"Agh… if only I could manipulate _this_ space… Zelgadis was right, I really didn't think this dimension through." Pestis groaned and slapped his forehead. "Dammit, Nisery, why can't you just lock up your valuables like a normal person?!" The professor kicked the crystal one last time in utter frustration.

_CRACK!_

"…Aaaand, the crystal's going to fall now, isn't it? That's so cliché; why didn't I see it coming?"

Zelgadis was momentarily distracted by the sound of Pestis' scream. He pulled his sword in front of him in instinctive defence, but it only took a moment before he saw that the real danger was coming from above.

"WHAT THE-?!"

It was only a split second before the enormous crystal impacted the terraces below, causing a loud sound as all of the rock that had built up above the magma chamber suddenly cracked under its weight.

"Zelgadis!" Pestis called out, though he couldn't see anything. The collapse of the crystal had disturbed the rock walls and caused the entire area to begin collapsing, burying everything underneath.

This was it. This chamber wouldn't last much longer now. The pressure caused by the disturbance of the vessels was causing the volcano to erupt, and within minutes, everything inside- Mazoku, human, or otherwise- would be no more.

_At least… if the vessels are destroyed along with us, then Amelia will be sent home… but… Zelgadis…_

Pestis' thoughts muddled into incomprehensibility as the world around him went black. If the circumstances had been different, he certainly would have welcomed death. But, for the first time in so many years, his thoughts were just the opposite.

_I don't… want to die…_

* * *

(A/N: I really didn't mean to take so much time with this chapter. I've been busy and sick at the same time, which makes both of them so much more difficult… ah, darn it all. I need to finish posting this story. Well, nevertheless, today is Earth Day! …and Pestis' birthday! So, in the meantime, let's celebrate! Thank you very much for reading! Until next time~!)


	27. Where There's Smoke

Hello everyone! I'm paying more attention now, I think; feeling a bit better too. Onward with the story! And, as usual, I don't own anything- I'm just a fan writing some fiction. Do enjoy!

* * *

**27- Where There's Smoke…**

_I don't… want to die…_

Pestis felt his clouded thoughts becoming clearer as a voice started pulling him back toward consciousness.

"Pestis! Pestis! This is no time to be passing out! We've _got_ to get out of here!"

It was Zelgadis' voice. The professor opened his eyes and looked up at the chimera.

"Zelgadis… you… saved me…?"

"I didn't save you, idiot! You nearly killed us both! I would've left you behind, but I was just lucky enough to grab you before the entire area was completely consumed by magma!"

"…but… the vessels…?"

"Brandr ran back out the exit we had been trying to use earlier while I was distracted trying to find y-" Zelgadis stopped short and clenched the professor's hand in his. "Run!"

Pestis stared at Zelgadis as he was dragged down the corridor, amidst the sound of collapsing rocks and steam hissing up from the floor. "You… you _did _save me…"

"What?! I can't hear you!"

"You _did_ save me! You let Brandr get away just for my sake…"

"Look, I know what you're going to say, but the thing is-"

"No… _thank you_." Pestis interrupted. "You cared enough about me to risk everything to make sure that I was alright. For the first time in a long time, I had something- some_one_- that I cared about enough to want to live for their sake… and… to realize that the feeling is mutual…"

"I don't know what you're trying to confess, Professor, but you do remember that I'm in love with Amelia, right?" Zelgadis raised an eyebrow at him.

"I-I didn't mean it like that, I swear! You're just such an important friend to me, and I-" Pestis stammered for a moment, somewhat flustered, but then suddenly seemed to process what he'd just been told. "…wait… YOU SAID IT!"

"I what?"

"You said it! You outwardly admitted your love for Amelia! I heard you loud and clear!" Pestis declared, laughing almost maniacally. "No taking it back!"

Zelgadis rolled his eyes. "Don't make me regret saving you back there."

"Oh, you wouldn't." Pestis grinned and gave Zelgadis a playful punch on the shoulder, though he winced and drew his hand back. "Besides, I'm going to do my best to help you get back to your beloved Amelia. You wouldn't want to leave me behind, right?"

"Do you think we even have a chance?" the chimera questioned.

"We do still have a chance." Pestis spoke. "If we can make it back to the central vent and out the way we came in- well, not the same way, of course, but, y'know- then we can make it back to the surface before we get cooked down here!"

"That's great, but easier said than done." Zelgadis commented. "I'm so turned around down here, I don't even know where I'm going. Everything looks the same."

"I know where we are. Just follow me, alright?"

"I hope you know what you're doing, professor."

Pestis turned to his friend. "You trust me, don't you?"

Zelgadis sighed. "I've told you before, I do. You don't have to ask again."

* * *

"No! Princess! Please! Stop!"

Poor Lavi's pitiful screams fell on deaf ears as Amelia dragged her Mazoku prisoner up to the base of the volcano. The princess didn't respond to her captive, looking up at the composite cone instead, as though sizing up the obstacle in her path.

"We've got to get up to that main vent."

"You're crazy! It's too steep, and flying with all this lava is too dangerous!" Lavi protested. "Just face it, you can't get up the-"

"NO OBSTACLE CAN OBSTRUCT THE POWER OF JUSTICE!"

"Oh _gods_, would you give it a rest with the Justice?!"

"NEVER!"

"H-hey, what are you-?!"

Amelia had gripped her end of Lavi's scarf in both hands, and seemed to be testing the strength of the fabric. "Yes... this should work... quite well in fact..."

"Princess... princess, no... princess, _PRINCESS!"_

Amelia began swinging the scarf around, with the Mazoku on the end screaming in a mix of fear and surprise. After gaining momentum for several moments Amelia tossed her captive up toward a higher ledge and used the force to pull herself along with Lavi.

"_JUSTICE JUMP_!"

Using her captive Mazoku as a weight in order to gain momentum, Amelia launched herself from ledge to ledge, slowly but surely climbing up the slope of the volcano.

"What… did I do… to deserve… this…?" Lavi wailed.

"You've been nothing but a boring plot device throughout this whole story!" Amelia declared, tugging on the scarf. "I figured we ought to at least use you as a gag before it ends."

"Ends?" the Mazoku squealed. "I don't want it to end! We're going to get ourselves killed, I just know it!"

Amelia jumped up on top of another rock, placing a hand on her hip. "Well, I don't know about you, but I'm not going to die! At least, not today! There's so much more that needs to be accomplished-

"That's easy to say for a major protagonist like you, maybe, but what about a plot-device-turned-gag-character? I'm telling you, I'd rather stay out here where it's safe!" Lavi protested.

Amelia made a show of ignoring the Mazoku, and continued pulling herself up to higher and higher ledges, dragging her unwilling captive along behind her.

"…I did _not _sign up for this…" Lavi wailed. "If I ever get back to the outside world, Lord Dynast is definitely hearing about this…"

* * *

Zelgadis could barely breathe, surrounded by the thick smoke. The whole air in the tunnels smelled like sulfur and was nearly impossible to see though. It was like being in a burning building, unable to breathe due to the gases in the air; unable to see beyond the dull red glow of the super-heated rocks around them.

Pestis kept a firm grip on the chimera's cloak, dragging him along, but Zelgadis was having a hard time keeping up.

"Professor…" he coughed weakly. "We're going to suffocate down here… or at least I am!"

"I'm trying to get us out of here the best I can." Pestis replied. "Just hold on a little bit longer. We'll make it out of here, we just need to-"

The professor stopped abruptly with a gasp. A pile of boulders stood, blocking the pathway. There was no way out.

"We… we've got to… got to… turn around… and…" Pestis turned swiftly and tugged on Zelgadis' cape in a panic, but he ended up tugging a bit too hard. The chimera toppled over, collapsing onto the floor.

"Zelgadis!" Pestis shrieked. "Oh, Zelgadis, please wake up! Please! Zelgadis!" He grabbed the chimera's shoulder and shook his as violently as possible, but Zelgadis didn't budge.

Pestis choked for a moment, coughing and clearing his throat. Now the smoke and volcanic gases in the air were affecting _him_ as well.

"Oh, Zelgadis, you've got to get up! If you don't you'll die down here! And without you, I… I can't…"

It was unnecessary for the professor to finish his sentence, as Zelgadis managed to prop himself up on one arm and look up at his companion.

"That area with the rocks is the way we came in. I remember it. It's filled in because Amelia and I triggered that trap. We can get through back to the main vent if we move aside all the rocks.

Pestis' eyes shot back over to the wall of rubble facing them. "I _knew_ I was going in the right direction… Do you have your sword? We could probably dislodge just a few, and then the whole wall will come toppling over.

"No… I… lost it… when… I was… trying… to save you…"

The professor stiffened at his friend's words. "S-save me? You gave up your sword?! Zelgadis, how could you-"

Zelgadis wasn't listening. He staggered to his feet and began tugging at the rocks at the base of the wall, coughing all the while. Pestis saw what he was doing and followed suit, trying his best to go for the larger rocks so that Zelgadis would go for the smaller ones. It didn't work- Zelgadis just had to try proving that chivalry wasn't dead, didn't he?

Pestis shoved the chimera aside and started blindly pulling at the rocks toward the base of the wall as well. Er, honestly, he was doing more trying than actual pulling. Zelgadis, even half-unconscious, had managed to make moving the heavy pieces of rubble look easy.

"I don't know if we can move enough to create a way out…" Pestis coughed, starting to get a little choked by all the smoke himself. "Maybe we should-"

"Get out of the way."

"Huh?" The professor turned and looked up at Zelgadis, who was backing away from the wall, clutching a boulder so large that even he seemed to be having a bit of difficulty with it. "Wh-what are you doing, Zelgadis?"

"I said get out of the way."

Reluctantly, Pestis dashed around so that he was behind his companion-and out of the way of any possible danger that might be posed. He was about to make some sort of mention about the fact that magic was blocked in the area, but Zelgadis clearly knew that. He had something completely different in mind.

The chimera leaned back and then tossed the boulder at the base of the wall with as much force as he could muster. The result was a loud crash as it broke into several pieces, and some of the rocks around it were dislodged, causing some of the other rocks above them to slide. After all the dust settled, there was a clear passageway toward the top of the rock pile.

"Wow! Good idea!" Pestis breathed, staring at his friend in awe.

"Let's get out of here, alright?" Zelgadis was already halfway through the passageway. He turned and extended a hand to the professor, helping Pestis keep his balance with all the loose rubble underfoot.

Beyond where the rocks had settled, it was only a short distance further to the entryway that led back out into the central vent. The air here was much clearer, much to the pair's relief.

"Now we can just follow the passageway to the central vent and take the unused side vents back out to the outside, right?" Zelgadis asked.

"Yes, but we still have to find Brandr. While he still has the vessels, no one is safe- _and_ we still can't go home!"

Zelgadis groaned. "I'd like to never see that Mazoku's face again."

"I understand your feelings, Zelgadis, but we can't be wasting time! There's too much at stake here- come on!" Pestis rushed over to the doorway, dodging cracks in the floor from which an unnerving amount of steam was being emitted.

"W-wait! Let me catch my breath!" Zelgadis ran after him, and the two climbed back up the slope until they once again came to the invisible floor that stood over the main magma chamber of the volcano. Zelgadis gasped in horror.

The heat from the molten rock could be felt even though the floor- which made sense, considering that there was little more than a metre separating the two, and it was gradually growing smaller.

"That's not good! If the pressure keeps building, it'll continue rising until the floor cracks from the pressure of the magma beneath it…" Pestis murmured. "At that point is when the whole mountain will explode- and we _don't _want to be here when that happens!"

"Pity you won't have much of a choice, professor."

The voice echoed through the whole area, causing Zelgadis and Pestis to glance around for a moment before locating the source. They knew _who_ it was, however- that voice was unmistakeable.

"B-Brandr!" Pestis gasped. "What are you doing here?! This place is going to blow any minute now!"

"I know. That's what I came to watch." The Mazoku stood with his back against one of the walls as though he was simply anticipating something like a fireworks show or a parade.

"Are you _crazy?!_"

"No, that would be you, Professor Nisery. I'm perfectly sane." Brandr clutched the magical vessels even more tightly at that statement. "I could watch the eruption from outside, but what would be the point? It's just melted rock coming out of the ground to harden into solid rock again as it cools in the snow. It's nature- the rock cycle. That's creation, not destruction. No, no… I destruction is what I want to see. Destruction… of you two, that is."

"You're out of your mind! You'll die too if you stay here!" Pestis pleaded. "Just let us all escape- we can fight this out somewhere else. But if we stay here, we'll _all _die!"

Brandr let out a maniacal laugh as he stepped away from the wall and stood, blocking the pathway.

"I. Don't. Care."

* * *

(A/N: Yep; so… two more chapters left! Yikes! This was a nice chapter to write; a lot of Pestis' sappy dialogue was inspired by my own relationship with someone close to me; someone that I feel really strongly about and am so happy to have as part of my life. Even if I'm too shy/embarrassed to fully express those feelings, I can at least live vicariously through my fictional characters, right?)


	28. The Trouble With Diplomacy

Hello everyone! I hope that you're enjoying the story! As usual, I don't own anything, I'm just a fan having fun writing some fiction. ^_^

* * *

**28-The Trouble With Diplomacy**

"I. Don't. Care."

Brandr's words hung almost as thick as the smoke in the air. For a moment, it seemed as though he wasn't serious, and neither Pestis nor Zelgadis dared move.

"H-how... how could you..." the professor stammered. "How could you commit suicide like that?! You have so much to live for!"

"Pestis!" Zelgadis hissed. "I thought you were on our side."

"Oh, I am, but that doesn't mean that I could just watch Brandr destroy himself- and us!- like this. He outsmarted us all- he has so much potential as Dynast's subordinate. We can't just-"

"I don't need empathy from the likes of you." Brandr interrupted curtly, striding towards the two of them leisurely, as though they _weren't_ about to be killed by a massive volcano.

"Maybe you don't want it," Pestis stated firmly. "but you do need it."

Brandr seemed as though the professor had piqued his interest. He began circling 'round Pestis and Zelgadis like a hawk circling its prey, eyeing them with reserved suspicion.

"You, professor, like to think yourself an expert on the nature of Mazoku. And, yet, you seem to have this irrepressible urge to defy the true nature that we have as members of the Mazoku race. Why is that?"

By this point, Brandr had moved to face Pestis directly. The short professor had to stand on the tips of his toes in order to directly meet his adversary's gaze, though, without his glasses, Pestis' was a little unfocused.

"In my studies of Mazoku and humans, I have come to a surprising conclusion that seems to be a universal problem we both share. So many humans don't have a full understanding of what it means to be human, and so many Mazoku don't have a full understanding of what it means to be a Mazoku. They _like_ to think that they know what their existence means, but they end up getting blinded to what they really need."

"_Need_?!" Brandr let out a sound that seemed to be almost a mix between a laugh and a roar. "And what is it exactly that I need, professor? I'm interested now!"

"Pestis!" Zelgadis grabbed onto the professor's shoulder. "I'd love to hear you wax philosophical about the human and Mazoku condition, but right now we have bigger problems to worry about!"

Pestis looked down and gasped, jumping back a few feet and running into Zelgadis, who toppled over backwards, dragging his companion with him. The two fell onto the invisible floor, which was beginning to crack under the pressure of the magma that was pressing up against it. A loud cracking noise shot out from beneath them and sent the two scrambling.

Zelgadis had grabbed Pestis' wrist to guide him as they ran toward the opening in the wall where they had originally entered. They reached the edge, but an explosion up above them sent a deluge of rocks pouring down in their path. Zelgadis spun around to see Brandr descending upon them with the magical vessels outstretched, a blade of pure black magic extending towards the professor and chimera.

"I TOLD YOU NOT TO RUN!" The Mazoku's voice was loud and maniacal, showing none of the composure that he'd seemed to have earlier. "YOU _WILL_ DIE HERE!"

Brandr was cut off, however, by a sound that made Zelgadis' blood run cold, even through the heat of the volcano.

The floor underneath where the rocks had slid down was breaking apart, and a thin layer of molten rock was beginning to bubble out. It was first in small spurts, and then began to billow like a fountain.

"No!" Pestis shouted, jumping at the noise and scrambling blindly across the floor in the opposite direction, though he ran directly into Brandr, who grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. "Let go, Brandr! Please! Just let us out of here!" He couldn't see- he had no more ideas, no more clever plans, no more choice words that might win over their enemy. He just wanted _out._

Zelgadis skidded around the Mazoku, trying to figure out some way to distract him. The floor was cracking even further beneath them, and magma had started to spurt up in several more locations.

"If I only had my sword... or my magic..." the chimera cursed to himself. It had been a while since he'd participated in any hand-to-hand fighting, and it would be almost useless against a Mazoku, even for a golem chimera. A surprise attack was their only hope in this situation, and with the state of their surroundings, that would be tricky. Zelgadis was determined not to let himself becomes part of the rock cycle.

Pestis still struggled against Brandr's grip as he watched the ground beneath them cracking. He knew that, with just one flick of the wrist, the Mazoku could send him flying into one of the founts of molten rock, and, with the powerful magic that this volcano contained, that would spell the end for him.

_I can't die... not yet... there's got to be some way out of this..._

* * *

Amelia had managed to ascend almost to the edge of the volcanic crater, still dragging Lavi behind her. The snow was coming down harder now, and it was difficult to see through it. Amelia's hands felt almost frozen, and it seemed strange to wish that she was back inside the volcano. She'd never been exposed to such differences in temperature all at once.

"Miss Lavi, I don't know how much farther up we can go. I can't get a grip on anything- my hands are almost completely numb." the princess sighed.

"I told you so. Didn't I tell you so?" Lavi crossed her arms and scowled at Amelia. "Now we're stuck up here and are going to get blown to pieces when this thing erupts. You humans are such idiots; I can't even begin to-"

"_FIREBALL_!"

The spell wasn't aimed at Lavi, but it did make her snap to attention. Amelia had fired it at one of the rocks, and though the fireball didn't last long, it did leave some of the rocks scalding. She let the rocks cool for a moment, causing the falling snow to turn to steam, and then picked them up in her hands, holding them until she'd managed to absorb all the warmth she could from them.

"We may not have all the powers that you astral beings have, but humans aren't idiots. They have to be clever to survive- moreso than any of you Mazoku. Now, come on. We've got friends that we have to save!"

The princess jumped up and tugged on the Mazoku's scarf, pulling her up the steep embankment.

"Ow! Ow! Okay, I get it!" Lavi exclaimed, trying to move faster so that she wasn't being choked as much. "Do whatever you want. We're going to die here anyway..."

Amelia continued to ignore her captive as she moved up the slope. "Once we get to the crater, we need some way to lower ourselves into it in order to reach Zelgadis and Mister Pestis. But... I wonder..." She stopped and turned around. "Miss Lavi, how much weight can this scarf hold?"

* * *

Zelgadis had figured it out. It was so simple that he had completely overlooked it before. The heat must have been affecting his brain- he was so worried about Pestis, when, really, this distraction was exactly what they needed!

Brandr had the collar of the professor's shirt firmly gripped in one hand, but the other held the magical vessels with a relatively loose grip...

Pestis was beginning to choke from the powerful hold that the Mazoku had, not just on his physical manifestation, but on his astral body as well. The invisible floor cracked perilously beneath them, and, had Pestis been able to breathe, he would have gasped in horror. But he was only able to stare and wonder just how they were going to get out of their fix this time.

"Hey!"

A tiny flicker of Brandr's attention was drawn away from the professor for a split second, but that was all the time Zelgadis needed. A swift punch in the Mazoku's back sent him careening over. Zelgadis grabbed Pestis' collar and wrenched him out of the loosened grip of a surprised Mazoku.

The two fell backwards, skidding across the invisible floor. It was apparently somewhat pliable- Zelgadis could feel it bending upward a little in response to the pressure underneath. They had to act quickly- the more stress that built up, the more violently it would crack in the end.

Brandr was in a daze. The vessel shards had tumbled to the floor, and one had been consumed by magma, creating a large glowing inferno that momentarily shook the floor. It cracked in a few more locations, but still held up.

"Are you alright?" Zelgadis grabbed Pestis by the shoulders and shook him a little. The professor's face was pale, and he looked up at Zelgadis with his cloudy grey eyes.

"Zelgadis... what did you just...?"

"We haven't got time to think about escaping now. It's far too late for that. We have to destroy all those vessels. That's our only way out."

"Get one. You can use it to cast spells." Pestis breathed in reply.

"Even with my magic blocked?"

"It's not your magic. It's the Black Magic from the vessel."

"But I can't cast Black Magical spells. I'm part demon chimera, and so I-"

"You're not calling upon a demon for the magic. You're calling upon the vessel. It doesn't affect your body; it isn't affected by your magical capabilities. It's just magic."

"Just magic? _Just_ magic?" Brandr made a grab for Zelgadis' arm, as though he were trying to fling the chimera in another- more dangerous- direction, but Zelgadis managed to twist and grab hold of a strap on Brandr's armour, flipping the Mazoku over onto the floor. The invisible substance made a loud cracking noise under the Mazoku, and Pestis stifled a giggle.

Brandr was on his feet in a second, and going to Zelgadis' throat this time. The chimera, however, had ducked a split second before Brandr even lunged, and managed to elbow the Mazoku forward while tripping him with his right foot. This resulted in Brandr tumbling over the floor, precariously close to one of the encroaching magma flows. He jumped to his feet, seething with anger, and ran at Zelgadis, his hand outstretched as though in an attempt to choke the pathetic human that had somehow managed to best him at hand-to-hand combat.

Not wanting the Mazoku's blind rage to go to waste, Zelgadis grabbed Brandr's wrist and swung him around a quarter turn before giving him a solid kick that sent him spiralling onto the floor- down for the count this time.

The vessels that Brandr had held in his hand went skidding in all directions. Two were consumed by a flow of magma, disappearing in a fiery inferno just as the other had. Another flew in Zelgadis' direction, and, with the quick reflexes and stone skin that come with his brand of chimerism, he crushed it between his fingers as though it were nothing but a piece of glass. A mass of dark energy cascaded around him for a moment before dissipating into the thick air.

That left one.

The final vessel flew in Pestis' direction and landed at the professor's feet. Able to see at least well enough to know what was sitting in front of him, Pestis reached out to pick it up, gasping as he looked at it. Without any more thought, he raised it up, handing it in Zelgadis' direction.

"Zelgadis! Quick! A human needs to be the one to destroy it- then we can all get back to Seyruun!"

"Why is it that everyone is always stuck relying on me?" Zelgadis groaned, running toward the professor. A sharp scream interrupted him, however.

"AAAAAAAH!"

Pestis could feel the ground collapsing under him, and Zelgadis had the added pleasure of seeing the source. Brandr had grabbed one of the sharp rocks from when he'd created the rockslide earlier and driven it into the floor with all of his might. The enormous crack that had developed was slowly tearing the floor in half. Magma oozed up from the rift, spreading out to cover as much of the surface as possible. Pestis fell forward, dropping the vessel almost directly into Zelgadis' hand. The chimera regarded it a moment, as though contemplating his ability to crush it and return them all home that very second. However, instead of doing just that, he instead turned toward Brandr with a scowl on his face.

"This is it. You got what you wanted. It's the end for us. _But,_ it's the end for you too." The chimera approached his Mazoku adversary slowly. "I could break this. But then we'd be sent back to Seyruun- all of us. And _you_ don't deserve to go back. If I cast this spell, everything in the volcano will be destroyed. The most important person- Amelia- will go home safe and sound. But those of us here in the volcano- _you_ here with us in the volcano- will _never_ be able to cause trouble for her again."  
Pestis' breath caught in his throat, and he placed his hands over his mouth. He didn't try to stop Zelgadis, however. The professor knew that, in that situation, he'd have done the exact same thing.

Brandr wilted at Zelgadis' words, as though he was coping with the concept of his own destruction for the first time.

"N-no... stop... can't we work this out... ah, diplomatically?"

Zelgadis stared straight down at him with an ice-cold gaze that pierced through the scalding air.

"That's the trouble with diplomacy, Brandr. It doesn't always work."

* * *

(Well, look. The titular quote meandered into my story again. Well. That was actually the clincher that I needed to realize how I was to bring the story to a close- I was horribly stuck on this chapter, and then I sat down with some friends to watch my most-favourite-movie-in-the-world, and I was so inspired by the movie that I stayed up late that night piecing together the last bits of my fanfic. I was so happy. Just one more chapter to go- hooray! Until next time~!)


	29. All Good Things

(Hello everyone! Yes- last chapter! Hooray! As always, I don't own anything; I'm just a fan writing some fiction. I hope very much that you've enjoyed the story! ^_^)

* * *

**29- All Good Things…**

"…the trouble with diplomacy…" Pestis murmured, a proud smile crossing his face. "Yes, I think that's about right."

Zelgadis had begun chanting a spell, holding onto the vessel carefully so as not to lose his grip as he tried to keep his balance. He'd never cast this spell before, but he'd seen Lina do it so many times, it seemed almost second-nature.

"_Darkness beyond twilight, crimson beyond blood that flows…_"

Brandr scrambled backwards a few steps, though he stumbled into a magma flow and let out a screech as the molten rock began eating away at his astral body.

"…_I pledge myself to conquer all the foes who stand…_"

"Stop! Someone help me!" Brandr yelled as he continued to disappear into the depths of the volcano.

"…_Let the fools who stand before me be destroyed by the powe-"_

"Zelgadis! Look out!"

The chimera's eyes shot open and the spell in his hands died out at the sound of Amelia's voice. He turned around, and ended up almost running right into her as she fell on top of him. Still, he managed to catch her, while Lavi, on the other end of the scarf, fell directly into the floor.

"I _told_ you not to jump!" Lavi growled, pulling herself back to her feet. "The scarf isn't strong enough for you to swing from, idiot!"

"A-Amelia?! How did _you_ get here?!" Zelgadis gasped, trying his best not to stumble backwards in shock.

"I had to climb the mountain to come and help you!" Amelia exclaimed. "I couldn't just let you face everything on your own!"

"Uh, princess? I think we're a little late!" Lavi yelled, seeing that there was almost no room left on the ground for anyone to stand.

"Zelgadis! Brandr is gone; Amelia is here! Let's get out of here while we still can!" Pestis staggered to his feet and grabbed onto the gem shard that Zelgadis handed him. The whole volcano began to shake, and a powerful rumbling noise began to fill everyone's ears.

"P-Pestis! What are you doing?!" Zelgadis gasped, pulling Amelia close to him, though there was no time for the professor to give a response.

"_Magic! Take us home_!" Pestis yelled to the vessel.

There was almost no time between him finishing the sentence, and the entire area being engulfed in a deafening roar, everything fading to black.

* * *

Amelia and Zelgadis opened their eyes.

"What…" Zelgadis murmured in disbelief. "…just _happened_?!"

"Th-the ruins..." Amelia breathed, observing their surroundings. "We... we're back... aren't we?"

She and Zelgadis exchanged a wary glance, not sure whether they should trust what their eyes were telling them. After all that they had been through, they had reason not to. However, Pestis stood up, pulling Lavi up by her scarf.

"Listen, _you_. I've got a few choice words for Lord Dynast when I see him again, but I want you to make one thing very clear for me, alright? You are _not _to interfere with things beyond your control like this again, do you understand? Or you'll _all_ end up like Brandr."

Lavi paled and jumped away from the professor, who let go of her scarf, allowing her to disappear onto the astral plane.

"Good riddance." Pestis breathed.

"We…" Zelgadis breathed, still completely confused by the abrupt nature of the situation. "…we're alive. We're alive! Amelia, you _saved_ us!" He threw his arms around her in sheer relief that the both of them were safe. Pestis couldn't really see, but, with his lighting spell, he could make out just enough of what was happening that he backed away slightly in order to give them some space.

"I couldn't have done it without you." Amelia murmured. "You saved me back when we were trapped in that dream. You figured out how to gets us out of the dream while all I did was cry..."

"That's not true! Once I figured it out, you were the one who knew how to properly get us out of there! Without you I'd never have been able to summon enough positive emotions to get out of there..."

"But you tried to sacrifice yourself when Mister Pestis sent us away. I'd never have had the courage to climb that mountain the way I did without being inspired by your bravery."

"But, without you climbing the mountain, Pestis and I would have died down there. You would've been sent back to Seyruun, but neither of us would have made it back..."

"I wouldn't have made it back, though. Not really. Not without you." Amelia threw her arms around his waist and buried her head in his chest. "Don't _ever _sacrifice yourself for my sake! I don't even want to think about it..."

"...Amelia..." he began, but seemed to have to pause to think about what he was going to say.

"Tell her!" Pestis whispered loudly from the side, making Zelgadis jump a little, remembering that there was more than just him and Amelia there.

"What?"

"Tell her what you told me earlier!"

"I told you a lot of things earlier. What thing?"

"Huh?" Amelia looked around, a bit confused.

"Oh, you know what thing!"

"No, I really don't."

"Zelgadis! Do I have to spell it out for you?!"

"Huh?" Amelia repeated, still confused.

"Oh, what? You mean back when you confessed your love for me?" Zelgadis asked with a mocking grin, though Pestis wasn't able to see it.

"Whaaaaat?!" Amelia gasped in surprise. "Mister Pestis? You're in love with Zelgadis too?"

"No, no, no! I'm _not_! I was just saying that I-" Pestis suddenly stopped mid-sentence, his expression changing to one of awe. "...'too'... you said 'too!' You said it! You're in love with Zelgadis! I've gotten confessions out of both of you! I'm so happy!"

Amelia turned to Zelgadis and smiled. "Both of us, huh?"

"She already knew how I felt." Zelgadis stated curtly. "And I knew how she felt. Even if it wasn't said in words, it's not like it was a secret."

"After all that time we spend together doing research, there wasn't any question."

"Yes! I knew it!" Pestis clapped his hands excitedly. "My plan did work after all!"

"Plan? What plan?" Zelgadis jumped to his feet and approached the professor suspiciously.

"Closing off the ruins. I told you that I knew you and Amelia would sneak in anyway, didn't I?"

"W-wait! So all that about forbidding us from coming to the ruins was reverse psychology?!" The chimera ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "It was all just a _joke_ to get Amelia and me together?!"

"Not a joke." Pestis assured him. "I just... I knew in my heart that you and Amelia belonged together, and so I just had to... y'know... give you a little push."

"Well, I, for one, am grateful." Amelia spoke, walking up to the professor and giving him a friendly hug. "Thank you for everything, Mister Pestis!"

"I don't exactly agree with his methods..." Zelgadis began, approaching the two. "...but I guess I can't argue with the results. Thanks, Pestis- for _everything_. We'd never have made it out of there alive if it hadn't been for you. I'm still not even completely sure how we managed it."

"No;_ I_ never would have made it out of there alive if it hadn't been for _you._" Pestis grinned. "It was a team effort. We survived as a team- and that's what matters in the end."

Amelia pulled Zelgadis into the group hug, and Pestis laughed at the concept of their antics. "We're quite the unusual team... but, then again, aren't those the best kinds?"

"But, professor, what about the astral beings in the alternate dimension?" Amelia asked, pulling free from the group. "What's going to happen to them now?"

"The volcanic eruption won't affect them." Pestis replied. "That's the purpose of the barrier I put up over the river- to protect them if the volcano ever were to erupt violently. They'll be fine; don't worry."

"And the last vessel?" Zelgadis asked.

"Ah; that..." Pestis had stashed it in a pocket of his vest, and pulled it out. "I think I'm going to start storing my belongings like a normal person."

"Like... _not_ in a magical volcano?" Zelgadis asked.

"Not in a magical volcano." Pestis nodded in reply. He held up the vessel and smirked mischievously. "This baby is going under my mattress from now on!"

"_You'd better not be serious_!"

Pestis smiled and wagged his finger, pocketing the vessel away with his other hand. "Oh, but with me you can never tell. Remember?"

"Right, right. I should've guessed." Zelgadis groaned.

"Well, as long as Mister Pestis is hanging onto it, it should be safe." Amelia spoke up. "Maybe it'll come in handy one day."

"Just don't let Lina get ahold of it." Zelgadis smirked. "The world needs at least a few days' reprieve every month."

"_Zelgadis_!" Amelia hissed, elbowing him in the arm.

"I'm only kidding! Really, I wouldn't give a weapon like that to anyone. It's too dangerous. You all saw what happened to Brandr. Pestis is right to keep it locked up."

Amelia gave a nod. "I agree... it's quite a scary thought-"

"Hello?! Is someone down there?!"

The conversation was cut short as a voice from beyond the doorway called out, and the three turned around to face a small group of people coming from the corridor.

Amelia was the first to greet them.

"DADDY~!"

She ran to Philionel and threw her arms around his neck.

"Amelia! Oh, Amelia, we've been searching everywhere for you! The three of you disappeared, and... and..."

"I'm so glad you're here! We went to this terrible world and I had this awful dream, and it was Seyruun but it wasn't Seyruun, and there was this evil council, and it all turned out to be a Mazoku trick, and then the volcano was going to erupt, and we were going to die, but we weren't going to die, and I captured a Mazoku, but then Mister Pestis chased her away, and... and... and..."

"..._what_?"

"We've, uh, had a rough couple of days." Pestis spoke. "I'll explain later. But, for right now, we need to-"

"-close off the ruins for good." Zelgadis finished.

"Huh?!" Pestis spun around. "Wh-what are you talking about?! What about your cure?"

"He's right!" Amelia added, running back over to Zelgadis. "You've wanted to find it for so long! Would you really be happy throwing away this chance?"

"Amelia, we almost _died_." Zelgadis stated. "And, believe me- I'd far rather be alive as a chimera than not be alive at all. Besides…" He stopped and glanced over at Pestis. "…I've received some advice these past few days that I just can't ignore. I have to let myself free from this. I'll never be happy if I don't. My only regret should be that it took me this long to realize it."

"Z-Zelgadis…" Pestis stammered, smiling up at him, eyes filling with tears.

"Hey, hey- don't get all emotional on me, old man." Zelgadis gave him a gentle punch on the shoulder. "You've done more for me than I ever asked. My next goal will be to find you that gemstone you were looking for. It's the least I can do."

"And perhaps get him a new pair of glasses." Amelia added with a grin.

"Yes, I suppose I could manage that too."

* * *

"Zelgadis? Oh, good! I found you before you left!"

The chimera was in his room, almost finished packing. He looked up and saw the professor approaching him. Pestis' new glasses actually fit him, though nothing seemed to be able to fix his perpetually crooked bowtie. "Pestis? What is it?"

"Oh, uh, I just wanted to talk to you. It's about the gemstone I want you to find."

"Yeah; I was going to go ask you for more information. Something that powerful and obscure might take quite a while to find, and I needed to-"

"No, no. The thing is, I want you to find a _different_ jewel."

"Huh?" Zelgadis stopped and gave the professor a sceptical look. "What do you mean?"

"Just what I said." Pestis replied. He motioned to a chair in the corner. "May I sit down?"

"Ah, sure." Zelgadis sat down on one corner of the bed himself. "Why would you change your mind all of a sudden? I thought you'd been searching for this gemstone for years?"

"Well, several reasons." Pestis responded with a sigh. "If it wasn't for someone else's sake, I'd consider setting myself free like you've done. But this is for someone else- someone you don't need to be involved with. Even if you were to find the gemstone, to do anything with it we'd need various ancient relics and a moonlit ceremony, and… well… it's just too complicated. I'm going to keep searching myself, but I have another jewel in mind for you instead."

Zelgadis was a little surprised, but simply nodded his head. "O-okay. What about this jewel?"

"The description may sound a bit like a riddle." Pestis began. "But it is a jewel that is very beautiful- one that brings you unparalleled joy whenever you are in its presence. It is someone that has beauty and value beyond measure, and is something that, once you find it, you should never lose." The professor closed his eyes wistfully. "It's something that I had once… and lost. And it would make me happier than anything for _you_ to find it. That is my wish."

Zelgadis was speechless for a moment. It did sound somewhat like a riddle, but, then again, it was a description that made it sound unmistakable.

"Th-this gem… how will I know when I've found it?"

"Oh, you'll know." Pestis replied. "I promise you. Once you find it, you'll know exactly what it is."

Pestis didn't seem like he was going to offer any more information, so Zelgadis sighed and nodded.

"I'll find it for you. Don't worry."

He stood up and grabbed his belongings, heading for the door, and Pestis joined him. "Thank you, Zelgadis. When you do find it, be sure to let me know, alright?"

"Hey, of course! You'll keep in touch, won't you?"

"Certainly." Pestis smiled. "I'll make sure that my letters find you, no matter where your home is."

"You know… you could always travel with me." Zelgadis offered. "We make a pretty good team, and-"

"Zelgadis. I'm sorry. I have a boss to work for, and a powerful gemstone to search for. I'm so busy that I… I can't. Surely you understand… right?"

"Right, right. Of course I understand. I wouldn't want to impose on you." Zelgadis replied quickly. "I know that feeling, I promise."

"Don't worry. We'll see each other again, I'm sure of it." Pestis reached out his hand, and Zelgadis shook it.

"Thanks for everything, Pestis."

"Same to you, Zelgadis. Have you said goodbye to Amelia yet?"

"Yeah, I just did."

"And you gave her a good-bye kiss, right?"

"That's none of your business!"

"Oh, so you _did_, hmmm~?"

Zelgadis groaned. "_Goodbye, _Pestis."

The professor laughed as he stood by the doorway, waving to the chimera as he left. "Goodbye, Zelgadis!"

Pestis stayed by the door for a while, resting his head against the doorframe.

"Zelgadis… please figure it out soon… I so want you to be happy…"

"Mister Pestis?"

The professor jumped. "A-Amelia! You startled me! What are you doing here?"

"Did you see Zelgadis before he left?" she asked curiously. "I wanted to make sure that he didn't run off before telling you goodbye. He has a habit of doing that sort of thing when he's dead-set on something."

"Oh, yes, we did get a chance to talk. Thank you for your concern though, princess." Pestis gave a bow.

"No need for thanks!" Amelia grinned. "He was so excited to do something for you- even if he won't say it, I think he really admires you, Mister Pestis."

Pestis smiled. "I just wish for your happiness- both of you. The sooner Zelgadis figures out what this '_jewel_' is, the sooner he'll be back here in Seyruun, I can assure you of that."

"Really?" Amelia asked, her eyes sparkling. "How wonderful!"

"Just be sure to invite me to your wedding, okay princess?" The professor gave her a pat on the shoulder and a grin.

Amelia blushed. "He said that? Oh, Mister Pestis!"

"W-well, not in so many words, but he-"

" Zelgadis was so happy when he left, you know! He was talking about how knowledgeable you are on everything, and how you were even able to recommend to him a jeweller to see about finding this gemstone, and-"

"Wait a second! Jeweller?" Pestis stiffened with a gasp.

"Y-yes…" Amelia stammered. "What's wrong, Mister Pes-"

"Sorry! Hold that thought! I completely forgot something!"

Amelia watched in confusion as the professor dashed down the hallway.

"…how odd…"

* * *

"Zelgadis! Zelgadis!" Pestis found himself on a balcony of the palace, calling out to the chimera who seemed to be almost out of earshot. Still, Zelgadis turned to look at him.

"Pestis?!" he called back.

"Zelgadis, I forgot to tell you!" Pestis yelled as loudly as he could. "That jeweller I told you about- Shichiro Hoseki- _don't _go visit him! He's bad news!"

"What?"

"I SAID, DON'T GO VISIT THAT JEWELER!"

There was a long pause.

"TH-THE JEWELLER!" Pestis continued to stammer. "I'M TELLING YOU NOT TO-"

At this point, Zelgadis seemed to have gotten fed up, and had cast a Ray Wing spell in order to fly back up to the balcony where Pestis was standing.

"I'm sorry; can you repeat that?" the chimera asked.

"Yes, of course! I just wanted to make sure that you knew about the jeweller that I told you abo-"

"Shichiro Hoseki, right?"

"Yes, he-"

"I've got it."

"You… heard what I told you?"

"Yes, yes, I know."

"O-Okay, good. I just wanted to make sure that we're on the same page."

"We're totally on the same page."

"Alright, good."

"Good."

"W-well, goodbye, then."

"Goodbye, Pestis."

Zelgadis took off from the balcony, back on his way. Pestis sighed in relief and allowed himself to smile again.

"Thank goodness…" he murmured, crossing his arms. "Of all the beings in the world, I can't let my dear friends get involved with the one I hate the most…"

Zelgadis however, continued on his journey, shaking his head at his friend.

"Wow, I can't believe he ran all the way back out here to remind me to seek out that jeweller- he must be really important. I'd better get started finding out where this guy works…"

_~The End… for now~_

* * *

(A/N: Aaaaand, this is how we lead into 'All That Glitters!' This is a prequel, but it really was meant to be read after ATG, as it spoils quite a few things- the gemstone being a metaphor, "Shichiro" being the villain, etc. But it's nice to have established that Pestis was the one to send Zel on his quest, and his true reasoning behind it. I'm very satisfied with how the stories blend together, which is always a nice feeling. Thank you all so much for reading! It really means a lot to me that you would get this far. I appreciate everything~ farewell until next time!)


End file.
